MR imaging features of cuboid fractures in children

Cuboid fractures are rare, usually occult on initial radiographs and are often underdiagnosed. MRI is more sensitive than radiographs for detecting acute, non-displaced cuboid fractures in adults, but only case reports have described these findings in children.

To summarize the MR and clinical features of cuboid fractures and compare MR findings with initial and follow-up radiographs in a cohort of children.

A retrospective search for patients <18 years of age with cuboid fractures was performed during a 10-year period at a large tertiary children's hospital. Subjects with cuboid fractures reported on MRI and available clinical history were included. MR images were evaluated for fracture location, fracture morphology, percentage of marrow edema in the cuboid, subchondral disruption, and associated tendon or ligamentous injury. Initial and short-term follow-up radiographs were also reviewed when available.

Nineteen children ages 18 months to 17 years (mean: 9.0 years, standard deviation: 4.1 years, 63% boys) were diagnosed with cuboid fractures by MRI. Most cases of cuboid fractures are related to acute trauma (63%) but can be seen as stress fractures (16%). Most fractures (17/19, 89%) were linear in configuration. Fractures were most commonly adjacent to the tarsometatarsal joint (10/19, 52%). The degree of marrow edema was variable. Ligamentous injury was seen in two patients and tendon pathology was seen in one, all adolescents. Initial radiographs (n=10) were negative in 9 cases (90%). All available follow-up radiographs (n=12, obtained 19-42 days after MRI) demonstrated sclerosis in the region of the fracture.

MR-depicted cuboid fractures in children typically occur in isolation. The fractures were most commonly adjacent to the tarsometatarsal joint and linear in morphology. Initial radiographs were usually normal and follow-up radiographs depicted sclerosis at the site of fracture in all available cases.