UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Orthopedics

Title: Radiology Ankle Fracture Pearls

Keywords: radiology, ankle, fracture (PubMed Search)

Posted: 8/30/2014 by Michael Bond, MD
Click here to contact Michael Bond, MD

Some radiology pearls concerning ankle pain and fractures courtesy of David Bostick and Michael Abraham

Maisonneuve fracture – fracture of the medial malleolus with disruption of the tibiofibular syndesmosis with associated fracture of the proximal fibular shaft (http://radiopaedia.org/articles/maisonneuve-fracture)

When to look for high fibular fracture

  • Isolated fracture of medial malleolus
  • Isolated fracture of malleolus tertius without fracture on the lateral side
  • Any painful swelling or hematoma on medial side without a fracture on x-ray

Always look for avulsion fracture of 5th metatarsal styloid in patients with ankle pain and
no obvious fractures

Dans-Weber Classification – for lateral malleolar fractures (http://radiopaedia.org/articles/ankle-fracture-classification-weber)

  • Type A – fracture below ankle joint
  • Type B – at level of joint with tibifibular joint intact
  • Type C – fracture above joint with tears syndesmotic joint