Jack Porrino

The Anterolateral Ligament of the Knee: MRI Appearance, Association With the Segond Fracture, and Historical Perspective

OBJECTIVE. A recent publication has drawn attention to the anterolateral ligament, a structure of the knee with which most radiologists are unfamiliar. We evaluate this structure on MRI; clarify its origin, insertion, meniscal relationship, and morphologic appearance; and identify its relationship with the Segond fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A total of 53 routine knee MRI studies interpreted as normal were reviewed to characterize the anterolateral ligament. A further 20 knee MRI studies with a Segond fracture were assessed to determine a relationship between the fracture and the anterolateral ligament. RESULTS. In all 53 cases, a structure was present along the lateral knee connecting the distal femur to the proximal tibia, with meniscofemoral and meniscotibial components. This structure was somewhat ill defined and sheetlike, inseparable from the adjacent fibular collateral ligament proximally and iliotibial band distally. Aside from one case limited by anatomic distortion, all cases with a Segond fracture exhibited attachment of this structure to the fracture fragment (19/20 cases). CONCLUSION. An ill-defined sheetlike structure along the lateral knee exists attaching the distal femur, body of lateral meniscus, and proximal tibia. This structure has been referenced in the literature dating back to Paul Segonds original description of the Segond fracture in 1879. The structure is identifiable on MRI and appears to be attached to the Segond fracture fragment. For the radiologist, it may be best to forgo an attempt to separate this structure into discrete divisions, such as the anterolateral ligament, because these individual components are inseparable on routine MRI.

Prevalence of burnout among musculoskeletal radiologists

ObjectiveBurnout is a job-related psychological syndrome with three aspects: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and perceived lack of personal accomplishment. Burnout is associated with deleterious effects on both workers and their work. When burnout affects physicians, their well-being, longevity, and care of patients are at risk. Recent studies concerning physician burnout treat specialists such as radiologists as one group. We studied burnout in musculoskeletal (MSK) subspecialist radiologists.Materials and methodsAn institutional review board exemption was obtained. Society of Skeletal Radiology members received invitations to an anonymous survey that included questions from the Maslach Burnout Inventory ™ (MBI) measuring all three aspects of burnout. The response rate was 36.4% (433/1190).ResultsThe prevalence of emotional exhaustion was 61.7% (255/413), of depersonalization 53.3% (219/411), and of perceived lack of personal accomplishment 39.6% (161/407). Only 19.5% (79/405) of MSK radiologists reported no burnout, while 80.5% (326/405) reported burnout along one or more dimensions. For all three dimensions, the prevalence was higher and the mean severity was worse for private practice compared with academic practice. The prevalence of burnout was affected more by practice setting than by gender. Burnout prevalence and severity also varied systematically with years since completion of training.ConclusionAmong MSK radiologists, we found a much higher prevalence and greater severity of burnout than has been previously reported for radiologists and other physicians. There were differences in prevalence and severity of burnout among practice settings, genders, and longevity cohorts.

Fracture of the distal radius: epidemiology and premanagement radiographic characterization.

OBJECTIVE Fractures of the distal radius are common and frequently encountered by the radiologist. We review the epidemiology, classification, as well as the concept of instability. Salient qualitative and quantitative features of the distal radius fracture identifiable on the routine radiography series are highlighted. We conclude with a synopsis of descriptors that are of greatest utility to the clinician for treatment planning and that should be addressed in the radiology report. CONCLUSION A detailed understanding of the intricacies of the distal radius fracture is necessary for the radiologist to provide a clinically relevant description.

Radiographic pitfalls in lower extremity trauma.

OBJECTIVE Radiography remains the imaging standard for fracture detection after trauma. However, fractures continue to be the most common type of missed injuries. In this article, we describe common radiographic pitfalls in lower extremity trauma and describe strategies for dealing with them. CONCLUSION Pitfalls include insufficient views, improperly positioned or technically imperfect radiographs, nondisplaced fractures, commonly missed locations, small avulsions portending large injury, sesamoid injuries, satisfaction of search, incomplete or faulty reasoning, and periprosthetic fractures.

Gadolinium Contrast Enhancement Improves Confidence in Diagnosing Recurrent Soft Tissue Sarcoma by MRI

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES To determine how utilization of postgadolinium magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) influenced reader accuracy and confidence at identifying postoperative soft tissue sarcoma (STS) recurrence among readers with various levels of expertise. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study was institutional review board approved and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliant. Postoperative MRI from 26 patients with prior STS resection (13 patients with confirmed recurrence, 13 without recurrence) was reviewed. Four blinded readers of varying expertise (radiology resident, fellow, attending, and orthopedic oncologist) initially evaluated only the precontrast images and rated each MRI for recurrence on a 5-point confidence scale. Assessment was repeated with the addition of contrast-enhanced sequences. Diagnostic accuracy based on confidence ratings was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Changes in confidence ratings were calculated using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS All readers demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy both with and without contrast-enhanced images (AUC >0.98 for each reader). When contrast-enhanced images were made available, the resident recorded improved confidence with both assigning (P = 0.031) and excluding recurrence (P = 0.006); the fellow showed improved confidence only with assigning recurrence (P = 0.015); and the surgeon showed improved confidence in excluding recurrence (P = 0.003). The addition of contrast-enhanced images did not significantly influence the diagnostic confidence of the attending radiologist. CONCLUSIONS Diagnostic accuracy of MRI was excellent in evaluating postoperative STS recurrence, and reader confidence improved depending on expertise when postgadolinium imaging was included in the assessment.

Anterior cruciate ligament fixation devices: Expected imaging appearance and common complications

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is a commonly performed orthopaedic procedure which has increased in frequency over the past decade. There are a variety of fixation devices used to secure grafts within the femoral and tibial tunnels during the reconstruction procedure. An understanding of the expected appearance of the varied hardware utilized for reconstruction graft fixation, and their potential complications is important in the review of post-operative imaging. We describe the most common anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction fixation devices and illustrate their more frequently documented abnormalities.

A Visualization of the Distal Biceps Tendon.

The biceps brachii is the most superficial muscle in the anterior compartment of the arm. It generally comprises 2 heads, one long and one short; however, additional heads have been described [1]. The long head originates from the supraglenoid tubercle and the short head originates from the coracoid process. Both are innervated by the musculocutaneous nerve. The 2 heads tend to interdigitate and fuse before forming a tendon just above the elbow joint, which then inserts on the ulnar aspect of the bicipital tuberosity of the radius (radial tuberosity, Figures 1 and 2). This tendon, the distal biceps tendon, usually is about 7 cm long and acts to flex and supinate the elbow [2]. Recently, studies in cadavers have shown that the muscle bellies of the 2 heads of the biceps brachii may only fuse partially, or remain unfused entirely, with persistent separation of their respective tendons distally and with each inserting discretely onto the radial tuberosity. In such cases, the tendon of the long head attaches proximally on the tuberosity and the tendon from the short head attaches more distally [1,3-5]. Another key anatomical consideration with regard to the distal biceps is the bicipital aponeurosis or lacertus fibrosis. This is a thin fibrous sheet that arises from the superficial fibers of the distal biceps tendon (either the common or short head) and blends medially with the forearm fascia [5,6]. The lacertus fibrosis reinforces the antecubital fascia and protects the median nerve and brachial artery found therein, and in cases of distal biceps tendon rupture, may prevent biceps retraction. Finally, 2 bursae are found about the distal biceps tendon: the bicipitoradial and interosseous bursae. The bicipitoradial bursa is found on the radial side of the tendon interposed between the spiraling distal biceps tendon and adjacent anterior radial tuberosity; however, it can partially envelop or occasionally completely encircle the distal biceps tendon. This bursa helps to reduce friction on the tendon associated with supination and pronation. The interosseous bursa, by contrast, is

Emotional Wellness of Current Musculoskeletal Radiology Fellows

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES Burnout is a psychological syndrome composed of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and sense of lack of personal accomplishment, as a result of prolonged occupational stress. The purpose of our study was to determine the prevalence of burnout among current musculoskeletal radiology fellows and to explore causes of emotional stress. MATERIALS AND METHODS A 24-item survey was constructed on SurveyMonkey using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. We identified 82 musculoskeletal radiology fellowship programs. We recruited subjects indirectly through the program director or equivalent. RESULTS Fifty-eight respondents (48 male, 10 female) identified themselves as current musculoskeletal radiology fellows and completed the survey. Comparison of the weighted subscale means in our data to the Maslach normative subscale thresholds for medical occupations indicates that musculoskeletal radiology fellows report relatively high levels of burnout with regard to lack of personal accomplishment and depersonalization, whereas emotional exhaustion levels in our sample are within the average range reported by Maslach. Although male musculoskeletal radiology fellows experience relatively high levels in two of the three dimensions of burnout (depersonalization and personal accomplishment), female musculoskeletal radiology fellows experience relatively high burnout across all three dimensions. Job market-related stress and the effort required providing care for dependents significantly affect personal accomplishment. Conversely, imbalances in the work-life relationship and feelings of powerlessness are significantly associated with depersonalization and emotional exhaustion. CONCLUSIONS Musculoskeletal radiology fellows report relatively high levels of burnout. Because the consequences of burnout can be severe, early identification and appropriate intervention should be a priority.

The Value of Accurate Magnetic Resonance Characterization of Posterior Cruciate Ligament Tears in the Setting of Multiligament Knee Injury: Imaging Features Predictive of Early Repair vs Reconstruction

Multiligament knee injury (MLKI) represents a complex set of pathologies treated with a wide variety of surgical approaches. If early surgical intervention is performed, the disrupted posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) can be treated with primary repair or reconstruction. The purpose of our study was to retrospectively identify a critical length of the distal component of the torn PCL on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that may predict the ability to perform early proximal femoral repair of the ligament, as opposed to reconstruction. A total of 50 MLKIs were managed at Harborview Medical Center from May 1, 2013, through July 15, 2014, by an orthopedic surgeon. Following exclusions, there were 27 knees with complete disruption of the PCL that underwent either early reattachment to the femoral insertion or reconstruction and were evaluated using preoperative MRI. In a consensus fashion, 2 radiologists measured the proximal and distal fragments of each disrupted PCL using preoperative MRI in multiple planes, as needed. MRI findings were correlated with what was performed at surgery. Those knees with a distal fragment PCL length of ≥41mm were capable of, and underwent, early proximal femoral repair. With repair, the distal stump was attached to the distal femur. Alternatively, those with a distal PCL length of ≤32mm could not undergo repair because of insufficient length and as such, were reconstructed. If early surgical intervention for an MLKI involving disruption of the PCL is considered, attention should be given to the length of the distal PCL fragment on MRI to plan appropriately for proximal femoral reattachment vs reconstruction. If the distal PCL fragment measures ≥41mm, surgical repair is achievable and can be considered as a surgical option.

Osseous Femoral Avulsion of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Origin in an Adult

Injuries of the anterior cruciate ligament are commonly encountered in clinical practice, and occur in a wide variety of settings, from sports-related injuries to polytrauma. Tears of the anterior cruciate ligament supersede osseous avulsion in the adult demographic; however, in the pediatric population, osseous avulsion reflects the most frequent injury. When osseous avulsion of the anterior cruciate ligament occurs in children or adults, the injury typically occurs at the level of the tibial eminence. Conversely, osseous avulsion injuries from the femur are rare, with all cases reported in the literature occurring in the skeletally immature. We report a case of a 47-year-old woman who suffered an osseous avulsion of her anterior cruciate ligament from her lateral femoral condyle. To our knowledge, this reflects the first reported case of femoral osseous avulsion of the anterior cruciate ligament origin in an adult.