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Peripheral Tear of the Triangular Fibrocartilage: Depiction with MR Arthrography of the Distal Radioulnar Joint

¹ Department of Radiology, Balgrist University Hospital, Forchstrasse 340, CH-8008 Zurich, Switzerland.
² Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Balgrist University Hospital, CH-8008 Zurich, Switzerland.
³ Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University Medical Center, Barnes Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO 63110.

OBJECTIVE. Although central tears of the triangular fibrocartilage are easily seen on imaging, peripheral tears of the ulnar attachment are frequently missed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of MR arthrography of the distal radioulnar joint in depiction of peripheral tears of the triangular fibrocartilage.

MATERIALS AND METHODS. Forty-one patients (18 women, 23 men; mean age, 38 years; age range, 18-60 years) underwent MR arthrography and wrist arthroscopy. For MR arthrography, iopamidol (300 mg I/mL) and gadopentetate dimeglumine (4 mmol/L) were injected into the distal radioulnar joint. Consensus review of both MR arthrograms and conventional arthrograms was performed by two experienced musculoskeletal radiologists. Presence or absence of communicating and noncommunicating tears of the ulnar attachment of the triangular fibrocartilage was recorded. Arthroscopy was used as the standard of reference for determining sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in detection of tears of the ulnar attachment.

RESULTS. At MR arthrography, communicating tear of the ulnar attachment was diagnosed in three patients, noncommunicating tear in 19 patients, and normal attachment in 19 patients. Arthroscopy revealed peripheral tear of the triangular fibrocartilage in all three patients with communicating tear, in 14 of 19 patients with noncommunicating tear, and in three of 19 patients with normal attachment. The sensitivity was 85% (17/20), specificity was 76% (16/21), and accuracy was 80% (33/41).

CONCLUSION. MR arthrography of the distal radioulnar joint is accurate in depiction of peripheral tears of the ulnar attachment of the triangular fibrocartilage. These tears often appear as noncommunicating tears extending from the distal radioulnar joint into the triangular fibrocartilage.

Keywords: extremities • MRI • musculoskeletal imaging • orthopedic surgery • wrist

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