Imaging of vascularized fibular grafts in large bone reconstruction in skeletally immature patients

Abstract

 Objective. To describe the imaging findings of vascularized fibular grafts (VFG) in large bone reconstruction in children and teenagers. Design and patients. Fifteen patients aged from 4 to 19 years underwent VFG for bone reconstruction for primary tumors involving bone in 13 cases and for chronic osteomyelitis in 2 cases. Lesions were located in the femur (6 cases), the tibia (6 cases), the humerus, the distal fibula and the ilium. Radiographic follow-up was performed in all patients, radionuclide studies in 12 patients and MRI in 8. Results. Plain films showed a lamellated periosteal reaction on the VFG within 3 weeks following the procedure in all cases. Fusion of VFG and host bone occurred during the first 3 months. Radionuclide uptake of the VFG was seen in all cases but one. MRI showed cortical thickening and conservation of the high signal intensity of fatty marrow on T1-weighted sequences, and periosteal enhancement on dynamic post-contrast studies in all but one of the patients. Conclusion. Radionuclide studies and MRI show the periosteal enhancement and assess the viability of the VFG satisfactorily. However, we feel that plain films may be sufficient to ascertain this viability.