MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING OF THE FOOT

We evaluated the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging retrospectively in 72 patients (76 examinations). 10 examinations were normal, 2 showed normal variants, 21 inflammatory disease, 2 osteoarthritis, 7 neoplasia, 21 traumatic changes, 3 pathology in systemic disease, 5 avascular necrosis, 5 iatrogenic changes. When considering the original reports, accuracy had been 72.4%, sensitivity 75%, specificity 62.5%. After review of the hard copies several diagnoses were revised, improving the values to 86.6%, 84.4% and 100% respectively. Compared with other radiologic examinations the main advantages of magnetic resonance imaging were its high contrast resolution and the free choice of the imaging plane. The main disadvantages were the reduced spatial resolution compared to CT and the significantly worse definition of calcification and cortical bone. In conjunction with other radiologic and clinical examinations magnetic resonance imaging played an important role in the examination of avascular necrosis, inflammation, tendon pathology and neoplasia.