Bone marrow ill-defined hyperintensities with tarsal coalition: MR imaging findings

Sijbrandij, Elisabeth S; van Gils, Ad P.G; de Lange, Eduard E; Sijbrandij, Simon

« Previous Next »European Journal of Radiology
Volume 43, Issue 1 , Pages 61-65, July 2002

Bone marrow ill-defined hyperintensities with tarsal coalition: MR imaging findings

Elisabeth S Sijbrandij
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital Utrecht and Central Military Hospital, Heidelberglaan 100, 3509 AA Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Corresponding author. Present address. Isalaklinieken loc. Sophia, Department of Radiology, Dr. van Heesweg 2, 8025 AB Zwolle, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31-38-4604068; fax: +31-38-4604067
Ad P.G van Gils
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital Utrecht and Central Military Hospital, Heidelberglaan 100, 3509 AA Utrecht, The Netherlands
Eduard E de Lange
- Department of Radiology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, VA 22902, USA
Simon Sijbrandij
- Department of Orthopedics, University Hospital Utrecht and Central Military Hospital, Heidelberglaan 100, 3509 AA Utrecht, The Netherlands

Received 12 February 2001; received in revised form 16 September 2001; accepted 20 September 2001.

Abstract

Introduction: To report the occurrence and pattern of ill-defined subchondral hyperintensities on Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging in patients with talocalcaneal coalition (TCC). Methods and material: MR imaging of both feet was performed in 10 consecutive patients with 14 TCCs. There were eight males and two females with ages ranging from 9–52 years (mean 25 years). Twelve of the 14 TCCs were symptomatic. MR imaging sequences included T1- and T2-weighted as well as STIR images. The images were evaluated for the presence, extent and location of ill-defined subchondral hyperintensities on MR images in the hindfoot. Results: Ill-defined subchondral hyperintensities on MR imaging were present in 12 (86%) of the 14 hindfeet with TCCs. Two of these were without symptoms. No abnormalities were seen in two symptomatic hindfeet. Discussion and conclusion: In our series hyperintensities located in the subchondral bone adjacent to the coalition was relatively common in TCC. The presence of this specific pattern in the subchondral bone adjacent to the coalition may be indicative of tarsal coalition.

Keywords: MR imaging, Skeletal, Coalition, Foot, Bone marrow