Incidence of Tarsal Coalition: An Institutional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Analysis / 대한족부족관절학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Tarsal coalition results from defects during the developmental stage and produes ankle pain and limitations in the range of motions. Its incidence has been reported to be 1%, but there has not been any reports with respect to Koreans. Therefore, we evaluated the prevalence of tarsal coalition in Koreans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2005 and 2014, we analyzed a total of 733 cases of foot and ankle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in our hospital. There were 391 men and 342 women. All MRI readings were read by a radiologist in our hospital. We classified the coalitions in accordance with the histological and anatomical characteristics, and calculated the prevalence in each group. Moreover, we tried to determine the prevalence of tarsal coalitions in accordance with sex, age, and proportion of the symptomatic tarsal coalitions. RESULTS: There were a total of 11 MRIs of tarsal coalition—9 talocalcaneal coalitions, 1 calcaneocuboidal coalition, and 1 calcaneonavicular coalition. Nine tarsal coalitions were observed in men and 2 in women. CONCLUSION: Through this study, we found that the prevalence of tarsal coalition, including the asymptomatic patients, is similar to the previously known prevalence (1%). By getting more MRIs of the foot and ankle, we could better represent the prevalence of tarsal coalitions in Koreans.