Radiology

Question 1

What is an avulsion fracture?

Answer 1

a bone fracture which occurs when a fragment of bone tears away from the main mass of bone as a result of physical trauma.

Question 2

What may mimic avulsion fractures? How do they differ?

Answer 2

All avulsion fracture mimics have a completely corticated contour

sesamoid bones
accessory ossification centres
old non-united fractures

Question 3

What is the posterior fat pad sign?

Answer 3

If an elbow effusion is present, and trauma is a common cause of an effusion, a displaced fat pad becomes visible posterior to the distal humerus, the posterior fat pad sign

Question 4

What is a buckle fracture?

Answer 4

Compression fractures and are very common in children. They happen when one side of the bone buckles, or bends, but doesn’t break all the way through. It is a stable fracture, meaning that the broken pieces of bone have not separated from each other.

Question 5

What is a greenstick fracture?

Answer 5

Happens in children- bone bends and breaks as isn’t as hard as adults bones.

Question 6

What is prone to injury in children?

Answer 6

The growth plate as it’s the weakest part of developing bone.

Question 7

If a bony ring is injured you should expect to see…

Answer 7

two or more disruptions

Question 8

In general metal and glass are __1___ on x ray but wood and plastic are ____2___

Answer 8

1) seen

2) invisible

Question 9

When should you suspect pathological fracture?

Answer 9

When bone abnormality seems out of proportion to the mechanism of injury.

Question 10

X-rays cannot show undisplayed fractures… what can?

Answer 10

MRI

Question 11

What do you need to view soft tissue injuries?

Answer 11

Ultrasound or MRI

Question 12

Describe intra capsular vs extra capsular proximal femoral fractures?

Answer 12

Intra-capsular fractures
interfere with blood supply to femoral head
prone to femoral head AVN or non-union
treated by hemiarthroplasty, unless undisplaced or young patient when reduction and screw fixation may be tried

Extra-capsular fractures
don’t affect blood supply to femoral head
don’t get femoral head AVN or non-union
treated by internal fixation using DHS

Question 13

Cant see soft tissue injury in knee on X-ray but what you may you see?

Answer 13

Effusion

Question 14

Fracture lines in the foot are always?

Answer 14

Transverse

There may be many longitudinal mimics such as ossification centres etc