Insufficiency Fractures of Sacrum: MR Imaging Study / 实用放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate MRI appearancs and its diagnostic value on sacral insufficiency fractures.Methods Sacralinsufficiency fractures in 21 patients(19 females and 2 males,mean age 72.4 years old) with osteoporosis(n=21) and post-radiation for pelvis malignant tumors(n=7) were performed MRI examination with sagittal,axial,and coronal SE T_1WI,FSE T_2WI,and Fat-Sat FSE T_2WI,respectively.Contrast-enhanced SE T_1WI were performed in 14 patients.X-ray plain film(n=21),CT scans(n=21),and bone scans(n=14) were used to confirm each diagnosis of the fractures.Results Thirty-seven fractures of the patients were involved in the sacral alae in 16 cases(76.2%) with bilateral and 5 cases(23.8%) with unilateral.The fracture lines were demonstrated as low signalintensity on all of the sequences in 32 of 37 fractures(86.5%).The edema areas around the fracture lines were long T_1 and long T_2abnormal signal intensity in all of the fractures.The fracture lines and edema areas in 14 patients with contrast-enhancedscans demonstrated without enhancement and with inhomogeneous enhancement respectively.Three of 21 patients had multiple insufficiency fractures in other bones.Conclusion MRI is sensitive and specific in diagnosis of sacral insufficiency fracture.