Foot Pathology: Trauma

CT imaging of the foot in the setting of trauma has been greatly enhanced by the technical innovations of helical and multidetector-row CT. The quality of the datasets, multiplanar reconstructions and 3D renderings have all improved, owing to narrow collimation data acquisition and decreased motion artifact. High quality, high resolution volumetric acquisition is essential when imaging the small bones of the foot following trauma. The recent advances with MDCT enable isotropic imaging. The improved z axis resolution that results from such narrow collimation datasets precludes the previous requirement for direct coronal acquisitions. Rapid data acquisition is imperative in trauma patients, both to ensure the quality of the scans and reconstructions, and to expedite emergency treatment if indicated by the scan findings. CT has become the imaging modality of choice for assessing complicated foot fractures. In some cases CT is necessary for fracture detection, with data in the literature demonstrating a substantially higher sensitivity compared to conventional radiographs for the detection of tarsal fractures and joint malalignment.