Related Experiment Videos
The bone scan in tarsal coalition: a case report
1Department of Radiology, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance 90509-2910, USA.
Pediatric Radiology
|October 1, 1996
Summary
Tarsal coalition, an abnormal fusion of foot bones, can cause painful flat foot. Bone scintigraphy effectively diagnosed a fibrous talocalcaneal coalition when other imaging was unclear.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Radiology
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Tarsal coalition involves abnormal fusion of tarsal bones, potentially leading to painful flat foot.
- Causes include congenital factors, infection, arthritis, trauma, or surgery, resulting in fibrous, cartilaginous, or osseous unions.
Observation:
- A case study of a 15-year-old boy with a fibrous talocalcaneal coalition is presented.
- Plain radiographs showed minimal changes, and computed tomography (CT) results were equivocal.
Findings:
- Bone scintigraphy, particularly with pinhole lateral views, confirmed the clinical diagnosis of fibrous talocalcaneal coalition.
- This imaging modality proved crucial when conventional methods were inconclusive.
Implications:
- Accurate diagnosis of symptomatic tarsal coalition is vital as it is a treatable cause of peroneal spastic flat foot.
- Scintigraphy offers valuable insights into the presence and precise location of tarsal coalition.