Evaluation of the Patterns of Fractures and the Soft Tissue Injury Using MRI in Tibial Plateau Fractures

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To compare information about fracture type in MRI with simple radiograph in tibial plateau fractures and evaluate tibial plateau fractures type and accompanying soft tissue injury, and evaluate usefulness of MRI in tibial plateau fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Compared MRI with simple radiograph about Schatzker classification, depression of articular surface and displacement of bone fragment from the 68 examples who checked MRI and we evaluated soft tissue injury around knee joint. RESULTS: There were 7 examples of Schatzker type change after MRI check. Average depression of articular surface in simple radiograph was 2.93 mm and 4.28 mm in MRI. It increased by 1.35 mm and it was meaningful statistically (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between MRI and simple radiograph of displaced bone fragment (p=0.168). There were 58 (85.3%) cases of soft tissue injury in MRI. CONCLUSION: MRI can find additional fracture line or articular depression that can't be found in simple radiograph and gives more information about articular depression and soft tissue that is useful in surgical plans. I think preoperative MRI is necessary to better treatment of fracture & treatment of periarticular soft tissue injury in tibial plateau fracture.