Current updates in MSK infection imaging: A narrative review.

This article presents a comprehensive overview of the diagnostic utility of existing imaging techniques including radiography, computed tomography, ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and radionuclide imaging in the context of the most common orthopaedic or musculoskeletal infections. It also includes illustrative images showcasing significant findings in various musculoskeletal infections including osteomyelitis, cellulitis, septic arthritis, necrotising infections and peri-prosthetic joint infections and their associated complications.

Radiological angle assessment of Haglund's deformity: validation on Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

PURPOSE: Haglund's deformity, an abnormality at the postero-superior corner of the calcaneus is a common cause of posterior heel pain. To date numerous measurements of radiological angles related to the calcaneus have been proposed to differentiate between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with the deformity. Traditionally, these measurements have been assessed on plain radiographs. The aim of this study was to identify measurements which can be applied to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies of the ankle. METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis of 30 MRI ankle studies from patients with symptomatic Haglund's deformity and 32 normal studies as controls was undertaken. The angle of BRINK, the Achilles angle, Calcaneal pitch, Achilles-plantar fascia angle and soleus calcaneal distance were measured on optimal T2 fat-saturated sagittal slices. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.0001) in the angle of BRINK between the Haglund's and control group. The Area-Under-the-Curve (AUC) was 0.7783 in keeping with good discrimination between the two groups. The angle of BRINK measurement is reproducible, with an intra-observer ICC of 0.837 and an inter-observer ICC of 0.824. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups for the other measurements. In the Haglund's group the Achilles tendon was more likely to attach to the mid 1/3 of the posterior calcaneus as opposed to the superior 1/3 (p = 0.02), calcaneal oedema was more likely to be present (p < 0.001) and non-insertional tendinopathy was more likely to be present (p < 0.001). The presence of a retrocalcaneal bursa is non-specific (p = 0.602). CONCLUSION: The angle of BRINK demonstrates good discrimination between normal and Haglund's cases on MRI studies and may improve patient management by supporting surgical decision-making. Future work should correlate the angle of BRINK to long-term outcomes.

Right-sided meralgia paresthetica from lateral femoral cutaneous nerve neuroma.

Meralgia Paresthetica (MP) causes outer thigh discomfort, numbness, and tingling. Compression or injury to the Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Nerve (LFCN), which gives sensory innervation to outer aspect of the thigh. It frequently gets impinged beneath the inguinal ligament resulting in in sensory impairment in the distribution of LFCN. Compression of the LFCN is a frequent cause of MP, whereas LFCN neuromas is a rare cause. This case report describes a unique case of Meralgia Paresthetica produced by a LFCN neuroma and enhances our knowledge of Meralgia Paresthetica.

Validity of ChatGPT-generated musculoskeletal images.

OBJECTIVE: In the evolving landscape of medical research and radiology, effective communication of intricate ideas is imperative, with visualizations playing a crucial role. This study explores the transformative potential of ChatGPT4, a powerful Large Language Model (LLM), in automating the creation of schematics and figures for radiology research papers, specifically focusing on its implications for musculoskeletal studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Deploying ChatGPT4, the study aimed to assess the model's ability to generate anatomical images of six large joints-shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle. Four variations of a text prompt were utilized, to generate a coronal illustration with annotations for each joint. Evaluation parameters included anatomical correctness, correctness of annotations, aesthetic nature of illustrations, usability of figures in research papers, and cost-effectiveness. Four panellists performed the assessment using a 5-point Likert Scale. RESULTS: Overall analysis of the 24 illustrations encompassing the six joints of interest (4 of each) revealed significant limitations in ChatGPT4's performance. The anatomical design ranged from poor to good, all of the illustrations received a below-average rating for annotation, with the majority assessed as poor. All of them ranked below average for usability in research papers. There was good agreement between raters across all domains (ICC = 0.61). CONCLUSION: While LLMs like ChatGPT4 present promising prospects for rapid figure generation, their current capabilities fall short of meeting the rigorous standards demanded by musculoskeletal radiology research. Future developments should focus on iterative refinement processes to enhance the realism of LLM-generated musculoskeletal schematics.

An evaluation of AI generated literature reviews in musculoskeletal radiology.

PURPOSE: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to aid in summarizing information in medicine and research has recently garnered a huge amount of interest. While tools such as ChatGPT produce convincing and naturally sounding output, the answers are sometimes incorrect. Some of these drawbacks, it is hoped, can be avoided by using programmes trained for a more specific scope. In this study we compared the performance of a new AI tool (the-literature.com) to the latest version OpenAI's ChatGPT (GPT-4) in summarizing topics that the authors have significantly contributed to. METHODS: The AI tools were asked to produce a literature review on 7 topics. These were selected based on the research topics that the authors were intimately familiar with and have contributed to through their own publications. The output produced by the AI tools were graded on a 1-5 Likert scale for accuracy, comprehensiveness, and relevance by two fellowship trained consultant radiologists. RESULTS: The-literature.com produced 3 excellent summaries, 3 very poor summaries not relevant to the prompt, and one summary, which was relevant but did not include all relevant papers. All of the summaries produced by GPT-4 were relevant, but fewer relevant papers were identified. The average Likert rating was for the-literature was 2.88 and 3.86 for GPT-4. There was good agreement between the ratings of both radiologists (ICC = 0.883). CONCLUSION: Summaries produced by AI in its current state require careful human validation. GPT-4 on average provides higher quality summaries. Neither tool can reliably identify all relevant publications.

Assessing bone density on MRI: comparison between routine MRI sequences and DEXA scans.

PURPOSE: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is frequently utilised to aid in the comprehensive assessment of back pain, while dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is the gold standard test for the assessment of bone density. Assessing bone density on MRI could reduce costs and avoid exposing patients to ionising radiation. The aim of this paper is to investigate whether the relative signal intensity of vertebral bodies compared to other structures can detect osteoporosis on MRI. METHODS: 100 patients that had undergone both a lumbar spine MRI and a DEXA scan were identified. The T1 and T2 signal intensity of L1-L4 vertebral bodies (VB), cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF), and psoas muscle were measured within a 1-cm2 region of interest (ROI), and the signal intensity ratios were calculated. The ratios were stratified as normal, osteopenic, or osteoporotic based on DEXA T-scores. RESULTS: The T1 VB /T1 CSF ratio was significantly higher in the osteoporotic group than the normal and osteopenic groups (p < 0.001). The T1 VB /T1 CSF ratio had excellent discrimination (AUC = 0.841) for the presence of osteoporosis. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the DEXA T-score and the T1 VB/T1 CSF ratio was -0.474 (p < 0.001). The intra-observer (ICC = 0.910, 95% CI = 0.757-0.966) and inter-observer reliability (ICC = 0.927, 95% CI = 0.824-0.970) were excellent. In our cohort, a T1 VB / T1 CSF ratio of greater than 4 is 66.7% sensitive but 90.0% specific for the presence of osteoporosis. CONCLUSION: A high T1 VB/T1 CSF ratio suggests osteoporosis on MRI. Prospective validation is needed to confirm these findings.

Isolated lesions of the pubis.

The osseous pelvis is a well-known area of various primary and secondary bone tumours, tumour mimics, and infections. Isolated lesions of the pubis (ILP) are rare, with few case reports in the literature. Given their sparsity, such lesions may pose a great diagnostic challenge due to varied clinical presentations and imaging features. In this study, we report the largest case series of ILP. We discuss the patient demographics, differentials, surgical approaches, and management.

Imaging in international sporting event: experience from the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022.

AIM: To explain the design and delivery of diagnostic imaging and image-guided intervention services for an international games. The authors share their experiences from the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was undertaken of anonymised data from the Zillion, Easyvision (RIS and PACS), and Encounter platforms for image viewing, interpretation and reporting during the Games. The data collected included age and gender, type of sport, nature of the injury, and imaging findings with diagnoses. RESULTS: The number of individuals who had radiological investigations at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games was 518 and the vast majority of them were athletes (90 %). The average age of athletes who had imaging was 28 years and that of non-athletes who accessed imaging services was 46.4 years with male predominance. Magnetic resonance imaging was the most frequently used imaging technique and the lower limb was the most frequently imaged body part. Athletes playing netball and beach volleyball had the highest percentage of injuries. CONCLUSION: The authors share their experience from the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 regarding the nuances and challenges in radiology service provision for an international sports event that would be helpful for musculoskeletal radiologists in the design and delivery of similar international events in the future.

Isolated, periosteal stripping injuries of the Flexor Retinaculum: Case series of 3 patients with clinico-radiological review.

Isolated periosteal avulsion injuries of the flexor retinaculum on the medial side of the ankle are rare and may mimic osseous injuries or deltoid ligament tears. We describe a case series of 3 individuals with isolated, stripping injuries of the tibial attachment of the flexor retinaculum without underlying fracture or deltoid ligament disruption. A new classification system of flexor retinaculum periosteal stripping injuries of the ankle is proposed with clinico-radiological features.

Primary synovial chondromatosis of the hip joint (PrSC of the hip): A retrospective cohort analysis and review of the literature.

Introduction: Primary synovial osteochondromatosis (SOCM) or Synovial chondromatosis (SC) of the hip is a benign metaplastic condition of the synovium that is rare and may present with a spectrum of clinical features and radiological findings. Patients and methods: A retrospective search using the keyword 'Synovial chondromatosis' (SC) of the hip was performed at a tertiary care orthopaedic referral centre in the UK and a hospital in India. The radiology images were collected from our Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) and Radiology Information System (RIS), over 15 years. The patient's data was collated with Electronic Patient Records (EPR), RIS, and correlated with histo-pathology laboratory records where available. The demographic details of the patients, their clinical symptoms, imaging details, and management outcomes were collected. Results: We found 15 cases, with a mean age of 36.53 years (range: 14-50 years). There were 9 male and 6 female patients. The follow-up ranged from 1 year to 6 years. Predominantly unilateral presentation with insidious onset of symptoms was found. A spectrum of radiological Imaging was undertaken. Management strategies included supervised observation, arthroscopic or open synovectomy, and hip arthroplasty. No malignant transformation was found in the analysed cohort. Conclusion: Primary 'Synovial chondromatosis' of the hip had a male preponderance in our cohort, presenting with a range of clinical features. Radiologically, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was the commonest modality of cross-sectional imaging utilised and crucial for the diagnosis, evaluating underlying articular involvement including guiding appropriate patient management presenting with Primary 'Synovial chondromatosis' of the hip.

The influence of site on the incidence and diagnosis of solitary central cartilage tumours of the femur. A 21st century perspective.

Objective: To determine the incidence of central cartilage tumours (CCTs) in the femur and the impact of site (proximal, mid and distal thirds) on tumour grade. To compare study results with historically published data. Materials and methods: Retrospective review of solitary CCTs arising in the femur over the past 13 years. Data collected included location (proximal, mid and distal thirds) and final diagnosis in terms of tumour grade based on imaging features ± histology. Case material collected from three bone tumour textbooks provided historical data. Results: 430 solitary CCTs were included in the femur. 73% cases arose in the distal, 3.7% in the mid and 23% in the proximal femur. The ratio of "benign" (combining enchondroma and atypical cartilaginous tumour (ACT)) to higher grade chondrosarcoma (CS) was 11:1 in the distal, 1:1 in the mid and 1:1.5 in the proximal femur, the distribution of benign to malignant tumours being significantly different between the regions (F test, p < 0.05). Comparison with historical data showed a reversal of the benign (enchondroma) to malignant (ACT and higher grade CS) of 30%:70%-84%:16% in the current series. Conclusions: The site of origin of a CCT in the femur has an impact on final diagnosis with CS uncommon in the distal as compared with the mid and proximal femur. This is in contradistinction to historical data where the incidence of CS exceeded that of enchondroma at all sites.

A Radiologists' Guide to En Bloc Resection of Primary Tumors in the Spine: What Does the Surgeon Want to Know?

En bloc resection in the spine is performed for both primary and metastatic bone lesions and has been proven to lengthen disease-free survival and decrease the likelihood of local recurrence. It is a complex procedure, which requires a thorough multi-disciplinary approach. This article will discuss the role of the radiologist in characterizing the underlying tumor pathology, staging the tumor and helping to predict possible intraoperative challenges for en bloc resection of primary bone lesions. The postoperative appearances and complications following en bloc resection in the spine will be considered in subsequent articles.