Occult injuries of the talus diagnosed by bone scan and tomography

Five patients, four women and one man, were found to have an osteochondral lesion of one of the talar joints. All patients had normal plain radiographs of the ankle and foot and were referred to us as a second or third consultation for undiagnosed ankle and hindfoot pain. Bone scans of the tali demonstrated the specific talar joint that was injured, and tomography confirmed the presence of an osteochondral lesion. The average delay in the diagnosis between the onset of symptoms and the initiation of treatment was over 10 months. Bone scanning is an effective diagnostic tool in locating injuries of the talus not appreciated on routine x-ray.