title: Gadolinium-enhanced dynamic MRI of the fractured carpal scaphoid: preliminary results.
abstract: The aim of the present report was to evaluate the vascularity of fracture fragments of the fractured carpal scaphoid in the acute (< 4 weeks) and chronic (> 3 months) phases using a gadolinium-enhanced dynamic MRI sequence. Eight patients with acute scaphoid fractures, six patients with chronic scaphoid fractures, and three control patients without fractures were evaluated using a T1-weighted fast spoiled gradient recalled acquisition (fSPGR) sequence with gadolinium-DTPA enhancement (0.1 mmol/kg bodyweight). Signal intensity over time plots were obtained using region of interest measurements from both fracture fragments. Enhancement factors (EF) were then calculated from the plots. No enhancement of the scaphoid was seen in control subjects (EF: distal scaphoid pole 1.04 +/- 0.01, proximal pole 1.07 +/- 0.08). In acute fracture patients, enhancement of the distal pole was greater than that of the proximal in all cases but one in which the two poles enhanced in a similar fashion (EF: distal 1.99 +/- 0.77, proximal 1.43 +/- 0.99). In chronic fracture patients the enhancement pattern was reversed, as the proximal pole enhanced to a greater degree than the distal with the exception of one case where both poles enhanced equally (EF: distal 1.74 +/- 0.52, proximal 2.64 +/- 0.50). Using a two-tailed non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test, the difference in enhancement of the proximal poles between the acute and chronic groups was found to be highly significant (P < 0.003). Dynamic contrast-enhanced (fSPGR) MRI demonstrates significant differences in the enhancement patterns of the scaphoid when chronic and acute fractures are compared.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre, British Columbia, Canada. plmunk@unixg.ubc.ca
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Munk
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Janzen
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Vellet
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Connell
authors.forename: P Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Favero
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Struk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002348:Carpal Bones / Q000098:blood supply / Q000293:injuries*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005599:Fractures, Ununited / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010020:Osteonecrosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA