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Role of MRI in prevention of metatarsal stress fractures in collegiate basketball players.

Major NM

Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3808, Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27710, USA. nancy.major@duke.edu

OBJECTIVE: Metatarsal stress fractures are common and represent debilitating and potentially season-ending injuries for basketball players. Bone marrow edema is readily visualized on MRI and can be a sign of stress changes. Twenty-six asymptomatic male National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball players were imaged before the 2003-2004 season and 14 players were reimaged after the conclusion of the season with a screening study of long- and short-axis fat-suppressed T2-weighted images (TR/effective TE, 3,500/56) to identify bone marrow edema in the metatarsals. CONCLUSION: Six (12%) of 52 feet showed a signal indicating bone marrow edema in the metatarsals. MRI depicts bone marrow edema in the feet before a fracture becomes evident. Identification of this edema may reveal stress changes, allowing early treatment and prevention of debilitating stress fractures.

Published 16 December 2005 in AJR Am J Roentgenol, 186(1): 255-8.
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