Abstract
We evaluated the relative contribution of plain radiographs and computed tomography to the assessment of fracture healing under experimental circumstances. In 15 sheep, we performed midshaft femoral osteotomies and internal fixation of the resultant segmental fractures. Radiographs were obtained preoperatively and immediately postoperatively. Animals were sacrificed at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, and 36 weeks after surgery, and the femoral specimens radiographed. After removal of the internal fixation devices, computed tomographic scans of the specimens were performed.
By 3 weeks, callus was visible, but at 6 weeks, a trabecular pattern in the callus was seen on plain films but not on computed tomography. There was progressive organization of the callus on both studies. At 24 weeks, computed tomography demonstrated fracture lines not seen due to overlying callus on plain films and also more accurately showed incomplete union. By 36 weeks, healing was essentially complete according to both modalities, although there still were small gaps in the callus detectable on computed tomography but not on plain films.
Computed tomography may be of value in the evaluation of fractures of long bones in those cases in which clinical examination and plain radiographs fail to give adequate information as to the status of healing.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
McKibbin B (1978) The biology of fracture healing in long bones. J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 60:150
Naimark A, Miller K, Segal D, Kossoff J (1981) Nonunion. Skeletal Radiol 6:21
Nichols PJ, Berg E, Bliven FE, Kling M (1979) X-ray diagnosis of healing fractures in rabbits. Clin Orthop 142:234
Smith WS, Simon MA (1975) Segmental resection for chondrosarcoma. J Bone Joint Surg [Am] 57:1097
Weissman BN (1983) Fracture healing. In: Syllabus for the categorical course on musculoskeletal trauma, presented at the annual meeting of the American Roentgen Ray Society, Atlanta. American Roentgen Ray Society, Baltimore, p 37
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Braunstein, E.M., Goldstein, S.A., Ku, J. et al. Computed tomography and plain radiography in experimental fracture healing. Skeletal Radiol 15, 27–31 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00355070
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00355070