title: Acute ankle injuries: clinical decision rules for radiographse.
abstract: The need to perform "routine" radiographs after every case of ankle trauma has been repeatedly questioned, since less than 15 percent of ankle injuries are found to involve a significant fracture. Several authors have proposed guidelines to define clinical characteristics that may help physicians identify patients with a higher probability of having a fracture on the radiograph. The Ottawa ankle rules are the latest guidelines developed for the management of ankle injuries. These highly sensitive decision rules may allow a significant reduction in the number of ankle radiographic series ordered and may decrease patients' waiting times and costs without an increased rate of missed fractures or patient dissatisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Tandeter
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shvartzman
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011859:Radiography