Diagnostic accuracy of multidetector computed tomography for patients with suspected scaphoid fractures and negative radiographic examinations
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Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Screening of Axonal Degeneration in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Using Ultrasonography and Nerve Conduction Studies
Published on: January 11, 2019
Ahmet Turan Ilica1, Selahattin Ozyurek, Ozkan Kose
1Department of Radiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
Purpose:
The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in detecting occult scaphoid fractures.
Materials And Methods:
A total of 54 patients with a clinically suspected scaphoid fracture and negative initial conventional radiographs were evaluated with 64-row MDCT wrist examinations within 1 week of the trauma. The gold standard used was the diagnosis on MRI done within 1 week after MDCT. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of MDCT were calculated.
Results:
MRI showed a total of 22 fractures in 20 of 55 (36%) wrists. Fractures included 14 scaphoid and 8 other carpal bones. MDCT showed a total of 19 fractures in 17 of 55 (30%) wrists. Two isolated scaphoid fractures and one trapezium fracture were missed on MDCT. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of MDCT were 86%, 100%, 100%, and 91%, respectively.
Conclusion:
MDCT offers highly accurate results, especially concerning cortical involvement, and is a useful alternative in facilities lacking MRI.
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Definition and Purpose
An X-ray, or radiograph, is a non-invasive method that uses ionizing radiation to take images of internal structures. It is mainly used in cardiac imaging to examine the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels, aiming to identify abnormalities in the heart's size, shape, and position, such as heart failure, congenital defects, and vascular...
Computed Tomography
The technique was invented in the 1970s and is based on the principle that as X-rays pass through the body, they are absorbed or reflected at different levels. In the technique, a patient lies on a motorized platform while a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scanner rotates...

