To compare Digital Tomosynthesis (DTS) feasibility, ease of use and diagnostic accuracy with plain radiographs in the diagnosis of scaphoid fractures.

Scaphoid fractures, the second most common wrist injury, represent 5% of all fractures and 71% of all carpal bone fractures1,2. Scaphoid fractures most commonly involve the waist (70%), proximal (20%) or distal pole (10%)3. The scaphoid is one of eight carpal bones, articulating with the radius, lunate, capitate, trapezium, and trapezoid. The scaphoid is almost entirely covered by cartilage and its blood supply is almost entirely intraosseous coming from a branch of the radial artery which enters the scaphoid distal to its waist. The blood...

143 patients presenting to the Emergency Department with acute wrist trauma and clinical suspicion of wrist fractures were immobilised and referred for follow up at the orthopaedic outpatient clinic for clinical and radiological review. The average age was 41 (median 38, range 16-82) and the male:female ratio was 1:1.55. At clinic, the patients had standard 4-view plain radiographs and lateral tomosynthesis of the injured wrist (Fig. 3). Plain film imaging was performed using a GE Discovery XR656 and digital tomosynthesis was captured with the same...

DTS is a useful adjunct to fracture imaging. It is performed quickly and inexpensively with the same resources as used in plain film imaging of the limbs. The radiation dose is 28 times less than that of wrist CT and similar to the dose from 4 views of plain radiographs10. Interpretation of images can be challenging because of blurring of structures that are outside of the fulcrum plain and DTS specific artefacts. In our experience it does not currently appear to have a sufficiently high...

B Gibney, Department of Radiology, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin 7, Ireland. L Murphy, Department of Radiology, Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland. DT Ryan, Department of Radiology, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin 7, Ireland. N Compton,Department of Radiology Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin 7, Ireland. J Cashman,DepartmentofOrthopaedic Surgery, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin 7, Ireland. D Hynes, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin 7, Ireland. P MacMahon, Department of Radiology, Mater...

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