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Sacral stress fractures in long-distance runners
1Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology
|March 4, 2000
Summary
Sacral stress fractures in athletes can mimic sciatica but require different treatment. Characteristic imaging findings on MRI, CT, and bone scintigraphy aid early diagnosis for athletes, especially runners.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Sports Medicine
- Radiology
Background:
- Sacral stress fractures are uncommon in athletes but present with symptoms similar to sciatica.
- Delayed diagnosis and treatment can occur due to symptom overlap with other conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the importance of recognizing sacral stress fractures in athletes.
- To describe characteristic imaging findings for early diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical presentations and radiographic findings of sacral stress fractures in athletes.
- Description of imaging characteristics on Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging, Computed Tomography (CT), and bone scintigraphy.
Main Results:
- Sacral stress fractures in athletes, particularly runners, can mimic lumbar disk disease.
- Imaging reveals specific patterns: linear abnormal signal intensity on MR, linear sclerosis with cortical disruption on CT, and increased uptake paralleling the sacroiliac joint on bone scintigraphy.
Conclusions:
- Early diagnosis of sacral stress fractures in athletes is crucial.
- Treatment for sacral stress fractures in athletes differs from that of disk disease.
- Characteristic imaging findings facilitate timely and accurate diagnosis.