Yoshikazu Okamoto1, Kiyoshi Maehara2, Tetsuya Kanahori3, Takashi Hiyama4, Takashi Kawamura3, Manabu Minami4. 1. Institute of Clinical Medicine Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University of Tsukuba, 2-1-1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8576, Japan. yokamoto@md.tsukuba.ac.jp. 2. Graduate Program of Comprehensive Human Science, Doctor Program in Sports Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan. 3. Graduate Program of Comprehensive Human Science, Doctor Program in Coaching Science, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan. 4. Institute of Clinical Medicine Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University of Tsukuba, 2-1-1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8576, Japan.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The aim of this preliminary study was to examine the capability of screening for elbow injuries induced by baseball using a low field small joint MRI system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-two players in the 4th-6th elementary school grades, with ages ranging from 9 to 12 years, participated in this study. Screening for elbow injuries was performed using a low-magnetic-field (0.2-T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system designed for examinations of small joints of the extremities. Gradient-echo coronal, sagittal, and short-tau inversion recovery (STIR) coronal images of the dominant arm used for pitching were obtained to identify medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries with or without avulsion fracture and osteochondritis dissecans. RESULTS: All 62 examinations were performed successfully, with 26 players (41.9 %) showing positive findings, all being confined to the MCL. No child showed bone damage. All criteria in the MRI evaluation of injuries showed high agreement rates and kappa values between two radiologists. CONCLUSION: Screening for early detection of elbow injuries in junior Japanese baseball players can be successfully performed using a low-field MRI system specialized for small joints. The percentage of MCL injury without avulsion fracture was unexpectedly high (41.9 %).
PURPOSE: The aim of this preliminary study was to examine the capability of screening for elbow injuries induced by baseball using a low field small joint MRI system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-two players in the 4th-6th elementary school grades, with ages ranging from 9 to 12 years, participated in this study. Screening for elbow injuries was performed using a low-magnetic-field (0.2-T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system designed for examinations of small joints of the extremities. Gradient-echo coronal, sagittal, and short-tau inversion recovery (STIR) coronal images of the dominant arm used for pitching were obtained to identify medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries with or without avulsion fracture and osteochondritis dissecans. RESULTS: All 62 examinations were performed successfully, with 26 players (41.9 %) showing positive findings, all being confined to the MCL. No child showed bone damage. All criteria in the MRI evaluation of injuries showed high agreement rates and kappa values between two radiologists. CONCLUSION: Screening for early detection of elbow injuries in junior Japanese baseball players can be successfully performed using a low-field MRI system specialized for small joints. The percentage of MCL injury without avulsion fracture was unexpectedly high (41.9 %).
Authors: Filippo Del Grande; Michael Aro; Sahar Jalali Farahani; John Wilckens; Andrew Cosgarea; John A Carrino Journal: Skeletal Radiol Date: 2014-10-10 Impact factor: 2.199