Will an MRI show TFCC tear?

1. Introduction. MRI is used to diagnose wrist joint lesions, such as triangular fibrocartilaginous complex (TFCC) and intrinsic ligaments injury. MRI is accurate for showing complete tears of the TFCC and intrinsic ligament [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7].

Can you see TFCC tear on xray?

The TFCC cannot be evaluated radiographically; (C) proton density fat-suppressed coronal MRI image shows avulsion fracture of distal ulnar styloid process (long solid arrow).

What is TFCC pathology?

The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) is a load-bearing structure between the lunate, triquetrum, and ulnar head. The function of the TFCC is to act as a stabilizer for the ulnar aspect of the wrist. The TFCC is at risk for either acute or chronic degenerative injury.

Is an arthrogram MRI painful?

Is an arthrogram painful? Not usually. You may feel slight discomfort when your provider releases the contrast material into the joint. Many people report feeling a “full” or “tight” sensation around the joint.

Is the TFCC a ligament or tendon?

Your TFCC consists of ligaments and cartilage. It attaches your forearm bones (ulna and radius) to each other and to the small bones of your wrist. Your TFCC helps stabilize, support and cushion your wrist.

Can you live with a TFCC tear?

While most people fully recover from a TFCC tear through either physical therapy or surgery, you may still feel mild pain or stiffness in your wrist for several years. Work with your doctor to manage any residual pain or stiffness.

What is the role of MRI in the workup of TFCC?

Conclusions MRI imaging is extremely helpful in revealing the normal anatomy and injury to the TFCC. Nowadays, with high or medium-field strength MR systems, high accuracy can be achieved in detecting and characterizing the specific type of injury present.

Can mRMR imaging of the TFCC be performed without traction?

MR imaging of the TFCC can also be performed with or without traction. The wrist traction device was set up with the finger traps applied to the index and ring fingers and connected to a preselected weight (7 kg for men and 5 kg for women) by a nonelastic cord. The cord is routed over the edge of the MRI gantry table.

What is the best way to scan the TFCC?

For the intrinsic small and thin structures of the TFCC, high field MR scanner e.g., 3 Tesla MR scanner is ideally used to acquire a high spatial, high contrast imaging data (1,18). The ‘superman position’ with the hand raised up and above the head can allow the wrist to be scanned in the isocenter of the magnetic field, which is more homogeneous.

Is MR arthrogram better than arthrography to detect TFCC defect?

Herold et al.studied 45 patients and found that MR arthrogram using an indirect arthrogram method is better to detect TFCC defect with a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of indirect arthrography were 100%, 77% and 93% respectively (22).