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Diagnostic accuracy of wrist MRI in comparison to wrist arthroscopy regarding TFCC lesions in clinical practice

  • Handsurgery
  • Published:
Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to arthroscopically verify MRI diagnostic accuracy for triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) lesions in a regular clinical environment.

Methods

A total of 859 patients' data with both preoperative MRI of the wrist and additional wrist arthroscopy were retrospectively reviewed. Two board-certified hand surgeons and one orthopaedic surgeon executed wrist arthroscopy, whereas more than 100 radiologists examined the MRI of the wrist. The accordance of TFCC lesion classification using MRI in comparison to wrist arthroscopy and diagnostic precision of the former depending on technical details were evaluated.

Results

Diagnostic accuracy of MRI for TFCC lesions is poor in comparison to wrist arthroscopy as the reference standard. Technical specifications for MRI of the wrist are heterogeneous among the radiologists. These parameters have not improved accuracy of TFCC evaluation at large.

Conclusion

The accuracy of MRI in a regular clinical environment still remains inferior to wrist arthroscopy for detection of TFCC lesions. Development of a standard MRI protocol may be implemented on a regular basis and application of the Palmer classification for TFCC lesion should be sought.

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Availability of data and material

Statistics data are available in SPSS.

Code availability

Data are available in Microsoft excel; SPSS; SAS.

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Funding

The authors received financial support for this project from the Richard and Annemarie Wolf Foundation, Knittlingen, Germany.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hand Surgery, Spital Langenthal, Spital Region Oberaargau SRO AG, 4900, Langenthal, Switzerland

    C. K. Spies

  2. Hand Surgery, Vulpius Klinik, Vulpiusstraße 29, 74906, Bad Rappenau, Germany

    F. Unglaub & J. Rau

  3. Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany

    F. Unglaub & J. Rau

  4. Department of Medical Biometry and Informatics, University Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 305, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    T. Bruckner

  5. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Köln, Germany

    L. Müller

  6. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, University Hospital Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 24, 50931, Köln, Germany

    P. Eysel

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  1. C. K. Spies
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  2. F. Unglaub
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  3. T. Bruckner
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  4. L. Müller
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  6. J. Rau
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Correspondence to C. K. Spies.

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Spies, C.K., Unglaub, F., Bruckner, T. et al. Diagnostic accuracy of wrist MRI in comparison to wrist arthroscopy regarding TFCC lesions in clinical practice. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 142, 879–885 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-021-04329-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-021-04329-6

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