title: Sonographic diagnosis of metaphyseal forearm fractures in children: a safe and applicable alternative to standard x-rays.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Metaphyseal forearm fractures are very common in childhood. Radiography of the wrist is the standard diagnostic procedure. The aim of our study was to evaluate and confirm the safety and applicability of the ultrasound diagnostic procedure in comparison to x-ray diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated 76 patients aged between 1 and 14 years. After clinical assessment, patients with suspected forearm fractures first underwent ultrasound examination of the metaphyseal forearm followed by standard 2-view radiographs of the wrist. Ultrasound and radiographic findings were then compared, and sensitivity and specificity for ultrasound were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 76 patients, we found 42 patients with 52 metaphyseal forearm fractures by x-rays. By ultrasound, we also diagnosed 52 fractures. All patients with no fractures were correctly diagnosed as well. Referring to x-ray, we calculated for ultrasound a sensitivity of 96.1% and a specificity of 97%. Comparing axis deviation of displaced fractures, we found a mean difference of 2.1 degrees between sonographic and x-ray values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We confirm that ultrasound is an applicable and safe alternative tool to x-rays in nondisplaced or excluded metaphyseal forearm fractures in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Elisabeth Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany. eckert.kolja@arcor.de
authors.forename: Kolja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eckert
authors.forename: Ole
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ackermann
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schweiger
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Radeloff
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liedgens
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004838:Epiphyses / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D005543:Forearm Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography