Bone bruise
Last revised by Joachim Feger on 25 Jan 2022
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Hamersvelt R, Feger J, Knipe H, et al. Bone bruise. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 18 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-32984
rID:
32984
Article created:
23 Dec 2014,
Robbert W. van Hamersvelt
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Robbert W. van Hamersvelt had no recorded disclosures.
View Robbert W. van Hamersvelt's current disclosures
Last revised:
25 Jan 2022,
Joachim Feger ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Joachim Feger had no recorded disclosures.
View Joachim Feger's current disclosures
Revisions:
17 times, by
12 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Synonyms:
- Bone bruise
- Bone marrow contusion
- Bone marrow bruise
- Bone contusions
- Bone bruising
- Trabecular microfracture
- Trabecular microfractures
- Bone contusion
Bone bruises (also known as bone contusion, trabecular microfracture) are an osseous injury that results from compression of bone structures.
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Pathology
Bone bruises represent trabecular microfractures with hemorrhage and without a discrete fracture line or contour abnormality 4. They typically appear within 48 hours of injury and can persist for up to six months 3.
Etiology
Most bone contusions are a result of a direct blow to the bone, traction from avulsion trauma, or load to a subchondral surface 1,2,5. Depending on where bone contusion is seen, the underlying trauma mechanism can be identified.
Complications
They can progress to osteochondritis dissecans 2.
Radiographic features
Plain radiograph
Plain radiography will not demonstrate cancellous features but can show regions of impaction, for example, a Hill-Sachs defect 5.
MRI
MRI is the modality of choice when investigating bone marrow. Bone (marrow) contusion is typically focal and ill-defined with the following signal characteristics 4:
- T1: focal hypointense area of bone marrow
- T2 fat-saturated: focal hyperintense area of bone marrow
See also
Quiz questions
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References
- 1. Sanders T, Medynski M, Feller J, Lawhorn K. Bone Contusion Patterns of the Knee at MR Imaging: Footprint of the Mechanism of Injury. Radiographics. 2000;20 Spec No(suppl_1):S135-51. doi:10.1148/radiographics.20.suppl_1.g00oc19s135 - Pubmed
- 2. Helms CA. Fundamentals of Skeletal Radiology: Expert Consult: Online (Fundamentals of Radiology). Saunders. ISBN:B00F0ZS62Y. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Harry Griffiths. Musculoskeletal Radiology. (2008) ISBN: 0849393906 - Google Books
- 4. Gorbachova T, Melenevsky Y, Cohen M, Cerniglia B. Osteochondral Lesions of the Knee: Differentiating the Most Common Entities at MRI. Radiographics. 2018;38(5):1478-95. doi:10.1148/rg.2018180044 - Pubmed
- 5. Palmer W, Bancroft L, Bonar F et al. Glossary of Terms for Musculoskeletal Radiology. Skeletal Radiol. 2020;49(Suppl 1):1-33. doi:10.1007/s00256-020-03465-1 - Pubmed
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Patterns of bone bruise in knee injury
- Subchondral insufficiency fracture
- Posterior cruciate ligament tear
- Patellofemoral instability
- Trauma
- Anterior cruciate ligament tear
- Inferior shoulder dislocation
- Foot pain
- Rapidly destructive osteoarthritis of the hip
- Dorsal intercalated segment instability
- Focal periphyseal oedema zone
- Bone marrow oedema
- Contrecoup injury (knee)
Cases:
- Lateral patellar dislocation with osteochondral injury
- Scaphoid bone fracture
- Multiple carpal bone bruises
- Popliteus muscle injury and partial patellar tendon avulsion
- Anterior cruciate ligament tear - complete
- Isolated trapezoid fracture
- Avulsion fracture of the fibular head
- Nondisplaced incomplete intertrochanteric fracture
- Transient lateral patellar dislocation
- Annular pulley partial tear - thumb
- Lateral patellar dislocation injury with detached osteochondral fracture
- Transient patellar dislocation
- Intraarticular knee fractures
- Trochlea fracture fragment
Multiple choice questions:
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