title: Chronically stressed wrists in adolescent gymnasts: MR imaging appearance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging appearance of a chronically stressed wrist and to assess the utility of MR imaging for evaluation of injuries to the growth plate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Coronal T1-weighted spin-echo and gradient-echo MR images were obtained of 93 wrists in 47 high-risk gymnasts of a Chinese opera school. MR imaging and radiographic findings were correlated in 93 wrists.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The major MR imaging abnormalities of 47 radii with abnormal radiographic findings were horizontal fractures (n = 23), physeal cartilage extension to metaphysis (n = 17), and physeal widening (n = 17). The major MR abnormalities of 46 radii with normal radiographs included physeal cartilage extension (n = 12), metaphyseal bone bruise (n = 8), and vertical fractures (n = 4).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physeal cartilage extension into the metaphysis represents a healing sign in chronically stressed adolescent wrists. MR imaging findings including horizontal fracture and physeal cartilage extension to the metaphysis suggest that physeal widening occurred secondary to metaphyseal injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: I W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Penn
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Tiu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000175:diagnosis; D006132:Growth Plate / Q000473:pathology; D006173:Gymnastics / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D000072042:Salter-Harris Fractures; D014954:Wrist Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*