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.
Arthroscopy Unit, Orthopedic Department, Assiut University Hospital, PO Box 110, Assiut, 71111, Egypt.
Hatem G
HG
Said
Mohammad A
MA
Masoud
Hazem A
HA
Yousef
Hesham M
HM
Imam
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