Distribution and natural history of stress fractures in U. S. Marine recruits

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1983 · Radiology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1148/radiology.146.2.6217486· OSTI ID:6257522

Greaney, R B; Gerber, F H; Laughlin, R L; Kmet, J P; Metz, C D; Kilcheski, T S; Rao, B R; Silverman, E D

In a prospective study of stress injuries of the lower extremities of U.S. Marine recruits, researchers derived a frequency distribution of stress fractures. The most frequently fractured bone was the tibia (73%), while the single most common site was the posterior calcaneal tuberosity (21%). The natural history of stress fractures by scintigraphy and radiography has been outlined, showing the evolutionary changes on either study as a universal progression independent of injury site or type of stress. An identical spectrum of changes should be present within any group undergoing intense new exercise. The frequency distribution of stress fractures should be a function of differing forms and intensities of exercise, therefore, our figures should not be applied to other groups. Researchers used the presence of a scintigraphic abnormality at a symptomatic site as the criterion for diagnosis of stress fracture. Since the distribution of skeletal radiotracer uptake is directly dependent on local metabolic activity, it is expected that a focal alteration in bone metabolism will result in a scintigram approaching 100% sensitivity for the abnormality (9). In the proper clinical setting, the specificity should approximate this figure; however, a focal, nonstress-related bone abnormality which has not manifested any radiographic change, such as early osteomyelitis, could result in a false-positive examination. Specificity cannot, therefore, be accurately determined without an actual determination of the pathologic changes within the bone, necessarily involving biopsy.

• Research Organization: Department of Radiology, Naval Regional Medical Center, San Diego, CA
• OSTI ID: 6257522
• Journal Information: Radiology; (United States), Vol. 146:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
MILITARY PERSONNEL
MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
SKELETAL DISEASES
DIAGNOSIS
TECHNETIUM
DIAGNOSTIC USES
TIBIA
SCINTISCANNING
BONE FRACTURES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
LEGS
STATISTICS
TIME DEPENDENCE
USA
BODY
BODY AREAS
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
INJURIES
LIMBS
MATHEMATICS
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANS
PERSONNEL
RADIOISOTOPE SCANNING
SKELETON
SURVEILLANCE
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USES
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