Imaging of upper extremity stress fractures in the athlete.
Although it is much less common than injuries in the lower extremities, an upper extremity stress injury can have a significant impact on an athlete. If an accurate and timely diagnosis is to be made, the clinician must have a high index of suspicion of a stress fracture in any athlete who is involved in a throwing, weightlifting, or upper extremity weight-bearing sport and presents with chronic pain in the upper extremity. Imaging should play an integral role in the work-up of these patients; if initial radiographs are unrevealing, further cross-sectional imaging should be strongly considered. Although a three-phase bone scan is highly sensitive in this regard, MRI has become the study of choice at most centers.
Anderson
Mark W
MW
Department of Radiology, Box 170, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, 100 Lee Street, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. mwa3a@virginia.edu
D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001133:Bones of Upper Extremity / Q000293:injuries; D015775:Fractures, Stress / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D050279:Metacarpal Bones / Q000293:injuries; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis; D012253:Rib Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis; D012784:Shoulder Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014458:Ulna Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014954:Wrist Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis; D000092464:Elbow Injuries