Open AccessSpontaneous stress fractures of the femoral neck
Author(s) -
H L Dorne,
P Lander
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
american journal of roentgenology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.294
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1546-3141
pISSN - 0361-803X
DOI - 10.2214/ajr.144.2.343
Subject(s) - medicine , avascular necrosis , femoral neck , stress fractures , insufficiency fracture , hip pain , femoral head , deformity , radiography , surgery , osteoporosis , abnormality , displacement (psychology) , etiology , radiology , psychology , psychiatry , psychotherapist
The diagnosis of spontaneous stress fractures of the femoral neck, a form of insufficiency stress fracture, can be missed easily. Patients present with unremitting hip pain without a history of significant trauma or unusual increase in daily activity. The initial radiographic features include osteoporosis, minor alterations of trabecular alignment, minimal extracortical or endosteal reaction, and lucent fracture lines. Initial scintigraphic examinations performed in three of four patients showed focal increased radionuclide uptake in two and no focal abnormality in one. Emphasis is placed on the paucity of early findings. Evaluation of patients with persistent hip pain requires a high degree of clinical suspicion and close follow-up; the sequelae of undetected spontaneous fractures are subcapital fracture with displacement, angular deformity, and avascular necrosis of the femoral head.