Fractures and dislocations of the foot

The incidence and severity of fractures and dislocations vary depending on their location and on the direction of the forces responsible for the injury. The radiologist's role in evaluation of the injured foot is to recognize the types of injuries produced by particular forces. Because there is considerable overlap of fractures and dislocations of the foot and ankle, evaluation of one area to the neglect of the other can lead to significant oversights and failure to recognize additional injury patterns. For example, fractures of the talus, calcaneus, base of the fifth metatarsal, and to a lesser extent, the cuboid and navicular bones may masquerade as ankle sprains or malleolar injuries. The most important aspects to correct interpretation of traumatized foot radiographs are (1) pertinent clinical history, (2) a complete radiographic series, and (3) detection of soft-tissue swelling or injury.