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Not-so-normal variants.
1Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
The Orthopedic Clinics of North America
|July 1, 1990
Summary
Many skeletal variants, often overlooked, can cause symptoms. This study highlights three groups of ossicles and synchondroses that may lead to pain and degeneration, emphasizing the role of bone scanning in diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Radiology
- Anatomy
Background:
- Radiologic normal variants are widely considered clinically insignificant.
- Anatomic variations in the skeletal system can be a source of patient symptoms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To challenge the notion that skeletal variants are clinically insignificant.
- To present three groups of normal variants that may cause symptoms.
- To emphasize the diagnostic role of radionuclide bone scanning.
Main Methods:
- Categorization of skeletal variants into three groups based on their potential to cause symptoms.
- Description of ossicles as sequelae of repetitive trauma.
- Identification of congenital synchondroses predisposing to chronic repetitive trauma.
- Assessment of ossicles contributing to local and premature degenerative changes.
Main Results:
- Group 1: Ossicles as sequelae of repetitive trauma.
- Group 2: Congenital synchondroses predisposing to chronic repetitive trauma.
- Group 3: Ossicles leading to local and premature degenerative changes.
Conclusions:
- Skeletal variants, specifically ossicles and synchondroses, can be clinically significant and symptomatic.
- Radionuclide bone scanning is essential for evaluating the clinical significance of these variants in symptomatic patients.