Question 1

how can you determine if mri findings of fractures are old or new? old as in 6 months old or as new as within the last 30 days.

Accepted Answer

Several clues: When a fracture is new or "acute" there is usually fluid (edema) in the bone at the fracture site.  Also,  soft tissue swelling is usually present in acute injuries.  As fractures begin to heal, soft tissue changes resolve and there is evidence of new bone developing at the fracture site.  The history is usually helpful, as well.

Question 2

how can you tell if a pars fracture is chronic or not from an mri?

Accepted Answer

Not usually.: If you can see it on the MRI and have a recent MRI where it is clearly not seen one can infer acuity. This is a distinctly uncommon occurrence.

Question 3

my orthopaedic dr made me wait seven weeks befoe he would schedule an mri.i walked on a fractured leg.is it right to walk on it w/o cast?

Accepted Answer

Stress Fracture?: Sounds like you may have had a stress fracture of your lower leg.  These do take time to develop and are difficult to diagnose.  The main treatment is usually "protected weightbearing".  Hopefully your current treatment will allow for full healing.

Question 4

26 years ago, asis fracture.after recent pain recurrance mri shows i need surgery to fix.is it extensive surgery to fix?is recovery long?

Accepted Answer

Depends: After years these avulsions r usually stable. If reconstruction is undertaken there a r many things 2 b considered. What's the distance it has 2 b moved, how large is the fragment they may encounter lots of scar & fibrous tissue & resection may increase the distance. How osteoporotic is the fragment, will it hold s screw/washer, will a circlage or  tension band wire or will it cut out. Lot of ifs.

Question 5

i was diagnosed with a syndesmotic liagament injury do a distal fibular fracture...why would my dr not order an mri, only after i requested one?

Accepted Answer

Not needed: MRI scan of a syndesmotic injury is not necessary.  Often diagnosed with plain Xray, this injury can best be imaged by CT scan if clinically indicated and Xrays are negative.

Question 6

my ankle is still swollen after 11 weeks. i had sprained ligaments. the mri didn't show anything fractured or torn. should i keep doing ankle exercises?

Accepted Answer

: Sprained ankle should not present with edema for almost 3 months. You should revisit your orthopedist for the appropriate advice.

Question 7

might an mri miss a scaphoid fracture?

Accepted Answer

Doubtful: That is doubtful but like everything else in life is possible.Depend upon the quality of the MRI and the person reading it.

Question 8

will an  mri detect foot fracture?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Mri can be more sensitive to a subtle fracture than even a nuclear bone scan. For most purposes, the bone scan should still be adequate however.

Question 9

what to do if i fell xray showed fractured hip but mri showed no fracture how can this be?

Accepted Answer

Why was the MRI done: MRI is much more sensitive for detecting new fractures compared to standard x-rays. This is why we hardly ever get an MRI if x-rays show a fracture. Why dod you get an MRI? was this an old fracture? Is you hip fractured clinically? (pain, shortening, loss of range of motion, etc.)

Question 10

can an mri of the sacrum show a non union or fracture? i got one in 2016 for a fall in 2012 because i still have pain.

Accepted Answer

Yes- usually : An MRI may show more of the soft tissue component of any persistent injury in and around the sacrum such as would be the case with a nonunion or malunion of the sacrum

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Doctor answers about:

How accurate is an MRI for fractures

A member asked:

How can you determine if mri findings of fractures are old or new? old as in 6 months old or as new as within the last 30 days.

A member asked:

How can you tell if a pars fracture is chronic or not from an mri?

A member asked:

My orthopaedic dr made me wait seven weeks befoe he would schedule an mri.i walked on a fractured leg.is it right to walk on it w/o cast?

A member asked:

26 years ago, asis fracture.after recent pain recurrance mri shows i need surgery to fix.is it extensive surgery to fix?is recovery long?

A member asked:

I was diagnosed with a syndesmotic liagament injury do a distal fibular fracture...why would my dr not order an mri, only after i requested one?

A member asked:

My ankle is still swollen after 11 weeks. i had sprained ligaments. the mri didn't show anything fractured or torn. should i keep doing ankle exercises?

A member asked:

Might an mri miss a scaphoid fracture?

A member asked:

Will an mri detect foot fracture?

A member asked:

What to do if i fell xray showed fractured hip but mri showed no fracture how can this be?

A member asked:

Can an mri of the sacrum show a non union or fracture? i got one in 2016 for a fall in 2012 because i still have pain.

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