title: Dysbaric osteonecrosis screening in Turkish Navy divers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dysbaric osteonecrosis (DON) is regarded as an occupational disease for caisson workers, commercial, and military divers. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was suggested for the surveillance of military divers for DON. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of DON in Turkish Navy divers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The shoulder, hip, and knee joints of 106 male divers were screened for DON with MRI. A questionnaire was used to obtain information about subjects' medical history and diving experience.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of divers was 34.3 +/- 5.8 yr. The divers had spent an average of 12.1 +/- 6.1 yr at their occupation. The average of total hours of diving was 834 +/- 458 h. The maximum diving depth was 53.0 +/- 18.4 m (175 +/- 61 ft) and the average diving depth was 13.3 +/- 8.4 m (44 +/- 28 ft). MRI examinations of divers did not reveal bone lesions consistent with osteonecrosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that the risk of DON is very low for military divers who strictly obey the decompression rules and who undergo periodic medical examination. The use of MRI for routine screening of military divers is not justified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine, Gulhane Military Medical Academy Haydarpasa Teaching Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. gunalpuzun@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Gunalp
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Uzun
authors.forename: Akin Savas
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Toklu
authors.forename: Senol
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Guner
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sonmez
authors.forename: Samil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aktaş
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sezer
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mutlu
authors.forename: Maide
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cimşit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004242:Diving / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D010020:Osteonecrosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology