Multidetector CT for thorn (wooden) foreign bodies of the knee.
OBJECTIVE
Thorn (wooden) foreign bodies of the knee present a challenge in their diagnosis. Partly because of inaccurate history and sometimes a long duration of symptoms, radiographs are negative and MRI may show synovitis without a specific pathology.


METHODS
We report a case of a 16-year-old male patient with a date palm thorn foreign body, which caused septic arthritis. He underwent two open surgeries. Both failed to detect the loose body. An MRI of the knee showed a high signal in the posterolateral compartment; however, the pathology could not be confirmed except by 64 Multidetector CT (MDCT) that clearly identified the thorn and its location.


RESULTS
Arthroscopic removal and synovectomy were done by a 4-portal technique. The patient went on to complete recovery.


CONCLUSIONS
Multidetector CT has proven very useful in identifying wooden foreign bodies, their size and location.
Said
Hatem G
HG
Arthroscopy Unit, Orthopedic Department, Assiut University Hospital, PO Box 110, Assiut, 71111, Egypt.
Masoud
Mohammad A
MA
Yousef
Hazem A
HA
Imam
Hesham M
HM
D000293:Adolescent; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D001182:Arthroscopy; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014934:Wood