Articles

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More than 200 results
Article

Nasolacrimal injury

Nasolacrimal injuries are reported to be common and may result in temporary or permanent dysfunction.  Epidemiology Fracture of the nasolacrimal apparatus has been reported in ~10% of patients with craniofacial fracture, with ~10% of these reporting symptoms of epiphora or dacryocystitis 1.  ...
Article

Gilula three carpal arcs

Gilula three carpal arcs are used in the assessment of the normal alignment of the carpus on PA wrist radiographs: first arc: is a smooth curve outlining the proximal convexities of the scaphoid, lunate and triquetrum second arc: traces the distal concave surfaces of the same bones third arc:...
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Gunshot injuries

Gunshot injuries are a type of penetrating trauma that often require imaging assessment, and this evaluation has both clinical relevance (assessment of organ damage, surgical planning, and prognostication), and often also forensic implications. For a more detailed description of ballistics, see...
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Scalp hematoma

Scalp hematomas commonly occur either following a perinatal injury at delivery or as part of head trauma. Pathology There are three types of hematoma, which are defined by their location within the scalp, in particular, their location as related to the galea aponeurosis and skull periosteum (t...
Article

Yo-yo on a string sign - Stener lesion

The yo-yo on a string sign denotes the characteristic appearance of the torn, proximally retracted and superficially displaced ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) due to a Stener lesion. Mechanism The sign occurs as a consequence of the tear of the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb (gamekeepe...
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Landells classification of atlas fractures

The Landells (and van Peteghem) classification of fractures of the atlas is one of the commonly used systems to describe C1 vertebral injuries. Classification Fractures are classified by their involvement of the C1 anterior arch, posterior arch, and/or lateral mass 1: type I: confined to eith...
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Subaxial cervical spine injury classification

The subaxial cervical spine injury classification (SLIC) system and severity score is a system for cervical spine trauma that helps guide treatment and predicts prognosis. Classification Three parameters are assessed, two being radiologic determined and the last being a clinical assessment 1. ...
Article

Tuli classification of occipital condyle fractures

The Tuli classification of occipital condyle fractures is a clinically-oriented system for describing these injuries based on fracture displacement and ligamentous injury. It is newer than the more well-known Anderson and Montesano classification of occipital condyle fractures and allows the inc...
Article

Avulsion fracture of the 5th metatarsal tuberosity

Avulsion fractures of the 5th metatarsal tuberosity or styloid process are one of the more common foot avulsion injuries and account for over 90% of fractures of the base of the 5th metatarsal. Terminology The terms ‘tuberosity’ and ‘styloid process’ are synonyms and refer to the portion of th...
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Distal radioulnar joint dislocation

Isolated distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) dislocations are rare and are more commonly part of complex forearm fracture-dislocations.  Clinical presentation Wrist pain, swelling and deformity following FOOSH or direct trauma. The patient will be unable to supinate/pronate the forearm 1,2.  Patho...
Article

Congenital insensitivity to pain

Congenital insensitivity to pain (CIP) refers to a group of rare hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies (HSANs) characterized by an inability to feel pain 1. Terminology Although not clearly defined in the literature, congenital insensitivity to pain is not one specific diagnosis but de...
Article

Psoas sign (abdominal x-ray)

The psoas sign is a classic albeit non-specific finding on the abdominal radiograph, potentially representing retroperitoneal pathology. Normally on an abdominal radiograph, the lateral margins of both the psoas muscles are clearly visible due to adjacent fat. When the lateral edge of one, or b...
Article

Translation-rotation spine injury

Translation-rotation spine injuries are severe injuries characterized by horizontal displacement or rotation of one vertebral body with respect to another. Pathology These injuries result from torsional and shear forces. This type of injury is usually severe and involves the posterior ligament...
Article

Classification of gamekeeper thumb

This classification of gamekeeper's thumb (also known as skier's thumb) was proposed by Hintermann et al. 1 in 1993 and is based on whether a fracture is present and whether the injury is stable: type I fracture present, which is non-displaced and stable in flexion typically treated with a sp...
Article

Pericardial fat tag sign (pneumothorax)

The pericardial fat tag sign is a sign of pneumothorax on supine CXR where the cardiac border has a lumpy contour. When gas is located in the pleural space between the lung and mediastinum, the pericardial fat is no longer compressed against the mediastinum and therefore can hang or dangle late...
Article

Bowel and mesenteric trauma

Bowel and mesenteric trauma can result from blunt force, penetrating and iatrogenic trauma. CT is the gold standard imaging modality but CT findings are nonspecific 12. Epidemiology The bowel and mesentery are injured in ~2.5% (range 0.3-5%) of blunt force abdominal trauma 1,3,5,8. However not...
Article

Lesser arc injury

Lesser arc injuries are pure ligamentous perilunate dislocations. They are the "baby brother" of greater arc injuries, which have additional fractures of the radial styloid, scaphoid, capitate, triquetrum, and/or ulnar styloid 1.
Article

Transverse process fracture

Transverse process fractures are common sequelae of trauma, although they are considered minor and stable lumbar spine fractures. There is a strong association between transverse process fractures and other traumatic injuries. Pathology Transverse process fracture most commonly occurs in the u...
Article

Light bulb sign (posterior shoulder dislocation)

The light bulb sign refers to the abnormal AP radiograph appearance of the humeral head in posterior shoulder dislocation. When the humerus dislocates it also internally rotates such that the head contour projects like a light bulb when viewed from the front 1. See also light bulb sign (hepat...
Article

Nitrous oxide

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an odorless and colorless gas that can cause a state of euphoria. Nitrous oxide is the least powerful of the inhalational anesthetic agents, needing up to 104% concentration to reach 1 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC). Thus, it is usually admixed with a more volatile ...

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