title: [Value of spiral CT examination for diagnosis of occult fracture of ankle and foot].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the value of spiral CT examination for diagnosis occult fracture of the patients with negative result of X-ray examination and with high suspicion of fractures,so as to reduce misdiagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2007 to June 2010, 31 patients with ankle trauma performed spiral CT examination, including 18 males and 13 females, ranging in age from 21 to 67 years, with a mean of 35 years. The main symptoms of the patients included ankle pain, local swelling, obvious tenderness and activity limitation. All the patients had negative results of X-ray examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The spiral CT examination revealed 11 patients with fractures, involving a total of 17 points. Single fracture were found in 6 cases,and multiple fractures were found in 5 cases. Among single fractures, the lateral malleolus fracture was found in 1 case, talus fracture was found in 1 case, scaphoid fracture was found in 1 case, the fracture of the base of 5th metatarsal base was found in 1 case and calcaneal fractures were found in 2 cases. Within multiple fractures,internal and lateral malleolus fracture were found in 1 case; medial malleolus, calcaneus and talus fractures were found in 1 case; talus and scaphoid fractures were found in 1 case; the fractures of 1st and 2nd cuneiform bone were found in 1 case; the 2nd and 3rd metatarsal base fracture was found in 1 case.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the patients with negative X-ray examination and high suspicion of fractures,the spiral CT examination is needed, which could significantly improve the detection rate of occult fractures, and provide imaging basis for clinical treatment and judicial identify.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, the Third People's Hospital of Cixi, Zhejiang, China. ldl9507@163.com
authors.forename: Dong-liang
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Shi-jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005596:Fractures, Closed / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods*