title: ED point-of-care ultrasound in the diagnosis of ankle fractures in children.
abstract: In pediatric ankle injury, radiography is the current standard used to differentiate fracture from ligamentous injury; however, the associated cost, increased time, and radiation exposure pose a significant downside to this imaging modality. Point-of-care ultrasound may be an attractive alternative in this setting, as illustrated by this patient case. A 14-year-old boy presented to the emergency department with a left ankle inversion injury sustained while playing soccer. An emergency physician performed ultrasound examination that revealed findings consistent with a nondisplaced Salter-Harris I fracture of the distal fibula. The results of a formal radiograph confirmed this diagnosis. This case report presents the successful use of point-of-care ultrasound for detection of a Salter-Harris I ankle fracture, describes a stepwise approach for this new diagnostic technique in detail, and discusses its value in the setting of pediatric ankle injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Providence, RI, USA. ian_taggart@brown.edu
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Taggart
authors.forename: Nika
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Voskoboynik
authors.forename: Sachita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Otto
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Liebmann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005360:Fibula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries; D013639:Tarsal Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D014463:Ultrasonography