Marcos Loreto Sampaio MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Mark E. Schweitzer MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jenny Teresa Bencardino MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Catherine Petchprapa, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Keith B. Raskin MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Daniel B. Polatsch MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Joao Ricardo Sato, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

et al, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To evaluate the specificity and sensitivity of scapholunate ligament and triangular fibrocartilage tears with new extremity-dedicated 1 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) having surgical results as a gold standard.

This HIPAA complaint retrospective study obtained Institutional Review Board approval and a waiver of informed consent. Forty two MR wrist examinations obtained in a extremity-dedicated 1T magnet were independently reviewed by two musculoskeletal radiologists for tears of the triangular fibrocartilage (TFC) and scapholunate ligament (SLL). Open or arthroscopic surgery results were used as a gold standard. Sensitivity and specificity  were calculated for each reader. Kappa values of interobserver agreement were obtained.

Mean age of the patients was of 37 years old (standard deviation of 13 years). Sixteen tears of the TFC and nineteen tears of the SLL were identified at arthroscopy. In the evaluation of the TFC, sensitivities and specificities were respectively of 81% and 44% for the first reader and 75% and 52% for the second reader, with mean sensitivity of 78% and specificity of 48%. Interobserver kappa was 0.441 (moderate agreement). Sensitivities and specificities in the evaluation of  SLL tears were respectively 80% and 59% for the first reader and 60% and 68% for the second reader, with mean sensitivity of 70% and specificity of 64%. Interobserver kappa was 0.252 (fair agreement).    

The extremity-dedicated 1T MRI had a good performance in the evaluation of tears of the triangular fibrocartilage and the scapholunate ligament.

This is the first study, as far as we concern, to evaluate the performance of new extremity-dedicated high field MRI for the detection of wrist internal derangements.

Sampaio, M, Schweitzer, M, Bencardino, J, Petchprapa, C, Raskin, K, Polatsch, D, Sato, J, et al, , Diagnostic Performance of Extremity-dedicated 1T MRI for Scapholunate Ligament and Triangular Fibrocartilage Tears.  Radiological Society of North America 2008 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, February 18 - February 20, 2008 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2008/6007472.html