Fibrous metaphyseal defects. Magnetic resonance imaging appearances.

Sixteen patients with fibrous metaphyseal defects were examined with both plain radiography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Depending on the age of the fibrous metaphyseal defects, characteristic radiomorphologic changes were found which correlated well with MR images. Following intravenous Gadolinium-DTPA injection, fibrous metaphyseal defects invariably exhibited a hyperintense border and signal enhancement. Healed lesions exhibited a transition to normal bone marrow. A line through the maximum longitudinal diameter of a fibrous metaphyseal defect invariably led to a point of tendinous or ligamentous insertion. Coronal MR images demonstrated the maximum longitudinal extension and the respective inserting tendon or ligamentous structure at the epiphyseal line.