Diagnostic Ultrasound: An Effective Tool for Early Detection of Stress Fractures of Tibia

Background Stress fractures can be a source of constant pain and hindrance to physical activity for military recruits and can become worse over time if they remain undetected. Therefore, it is important to diagnose these fractures early. This paper is aimed to establish the role of an ultrasound as a diagnostic tool for early detection of stress fractures. Methods Diagnostic ultrasound was performed on 64 young recruits with new onset lower limb pain irrespective of findings on radiographs, following which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on each of them for correlation of findings. The MRI findings were classified according to the Fredericson classification for medial tibial stress syndrome. Results In comparison with MRI, in our study, the overall sensitivity of (Ultrasonography) USG in detecting stress fracture was found to be 86.05% with a specificity of about 77.27%. With a positive predictive value of 88.10% and a negative predictive value of 73.91%, USG is a highly accurate and sensitive modality for detection of stress fractures in patients. Conclusions A diagnostic ultrasound enjoys a higher sensitivity and specificity when compared to plain radiographs for early detection of stress fractures. Early detection of stress fracture with this effective screening tool could lead to preservation of precious productive man-hours, by facilitating early return to work and also prevent complications from undiagnosed high risk fractures