Discrepancies between radiography and magnetic resonance imaging in acute wrist trauma among women aged 50 years and older: A prospective exploratory study.
- 1Department of Radiology, Silkeborg Regional Hospital, Jylland, Denmark.
- 2Department of Radiology and Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Jylland, Denmark.
Abstract
Objectives
The objectives of the study are to describe traumatic wrist findings on conventional radiographs and supplemental magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in women aged 50 years or older with acute wrist trauma. The main focus was to describe discrepancies between radiography and MRI, including radiograph-negative MRI findings, additional or differently located fracture sites, and MRI characterization of intra-articular involvement.Material and methods
This prospective, single-center exploratory paired imaging study included 50 women aged 50 years or older referred to the emergency department with acute wrist trauma and clinical suspicion of wrist fracture. All patients underwent standard wrist radiography followed by MRI within 3 h. Radiographs and MRI examinations were evaluated independently. MRI was used for comparison with radiography and not as an independent reference standard. Imaging findings were categorized as concordant findings, radiograph-negative MRI findings, additional MRI findings, or differences in fracture characterization.Results
Mean patient age was 67.7 ± 11.5 years (range 50-95 years). Radiographs demonstrated traumatic abnormalities in 31 of 50 patients (62%), whereas MRI demonstrated traumatic findings in 40 of 50 patients (80%). Radiography and MRI were concordant for the presence or absence of any traumatic finding in 39 patients: 30 patients had traumatic findings on both modalities, and 9 patients had no traumatic finding on either modality. Discordant findings occurred in 11 patients, including 10 radiograph-negative MRI-positive cases and one radiograph-positive MRI-negative case. Radiograph-negative MRI-positive traumatic findings were present in 10 patients (20%) and included fractures, bone bruises, and soft-tissue injuries. MRI identified additional or differently located fractures in 9 patients (18%) and demonstrated intra-articular involvement or clearer intra- articular fracture characterization in 15 patients (30%). Six patients (12%) had scaphoid fractures on MRI.Conclusion
Supplemental MRI demonstrated additional traumatic findings and provided further fracture characterization compared with initial radiography in women aged 50 years or older with acute wrist trauma. The added value was mainly related to radiograph-negative MRI findings, additional fracture sites, and intra-articular involvement. These findings support the selective use of MRI as a supplemental imaging tool when radiographs are negative, equivocal, or insufficient for fracture characterization.
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BibTeX
@article{brix2026discrepancies,
title = {{Discrepancies between radiography and magnetic resonance imaging in acute wrist trauma among women aged 50 years and older: A prospective exploratory study.}},
author = {Lau Brix and Erik Kristian Wrange and Christin Isaksen and Tue Secher Jensen and Randi Nielsen and Johan Høising Eckmann},
journal = {Journal of clinical imaging science},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.25259/jcis_136_2026},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42974561},
note = {CC BY-NC-SA},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Discrepancies between radiography and magnetic resonance imaging in acute wrist trauma among women aged 50 years and older: A prospective exploratory study.
AU - Lau Brix
AU - Erik Kristian Wrange
AU - Christin Isaksen
AU - Tue Secher Jensen
AU - Randi Nielsen
AU - Johan Høising Eckmann
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/31
JO - Journal of clinical imaging science
DO - 10.25259/jcis_136_2026
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42974561
AB - Objectives The objectives of the study are to describe traumatic wrist findings on conventional radiographs and supplemental magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in women aged 50 years or older with acute wrist trauma. The main focus was to describe discrepancies between radiography and MRI, including radiograph-negative MRI findings, additional or differently located fracture sites, and MRI characterization of intra-articular involvement.Material and methods This prospective, single-center exploratory paired imaging study included 50 women aged 50 years or older referred to the emergency department with acute wrist trauma and clinical suspicion of wrist fracture. All patients underwent standard wrist radiography followed by MRI within 3 h. Radiographs and MRI examinations were evaluated independently. MRI was used for comparison with radiography and not as an independent reference standard. Imaging findings were categorized as concordant findings, radiograph-negative MRI findings, additional MRI findings, or differences in fracture characterization.Results Mean patient age was 67.7 ± 11.5 years (range 50-95 years). Radiographs demonstrated traumatic abnormalities in 31 of 50 patients (62%), whereas MRI demonstrated traumatic findings in 40 of 50 patients (80%). Radiography and MRI were concordant for the presence or absence of any traumatic finding in 39 patients: 30 patients had traumatic findings on both modalities, and 9 patients had no traumatic finding on either modality. Discordant findings occurred in 11 patients, including 10 radiograph-negative MRI-positive cases and one radiograph-positive MRI-negative case. Radiograph-negative MRI-positive traumatic findings were present in 10 patients (20%) and included fractures, bone bruises, and soft-tissue injuries. MRI identified additional or differently located fractures in 9 patients (18%) and demonstrated intra-articular involvement or clearer intra- articular fracture characterization in 15 patients (30%). Six patients (12%) had scaphoid fractures on MRI.Conclusion Supplemental MRI demonstrated additional traumatic findings and provided further fracture characterization compared with initial radiography in women aged 50 years or older with acute wrist trauma. The added value was mainly related to radiograph-negative MRI findings, additional fracture sites, and intra-articular involvement. These findings support the selective use of MRI as a supplemental imaging tool when radiographs are negative, equivocal, or insufficient for fracture characterization.
SN - 2156-7514
SN - 2156-5597
ER -