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Radiologic Imaging of Lower Leg Injuries

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Nuclear Medicine and Radiologic Imaging in Sports Injuries

Abstract

Lower leg injuries are a common problem in athletes. One-third of injuries in long-distance runners are lower leg injuries (Brewer and Gregory 2012). The spectrum of lower leg injuries in athletes contains a number of injuries with very similar presentations. In a retrospective review assessing 150 athletes with exercise-induced leg pain, 33 % had chronic compartment syndrome, 25 % had a stress fracture, 13 % had medial tibial stress syndrome and 10 % had a nerve entrapment syndrome (Clanton and Solcher 1994). Another study among 98 patients with recurrent lower leg pain reported medial tibial stress syndrome in 42 %, chronic compartment syndrome in 27 % and entrapment of the superficial peroneal nerve in 13 % of patients (Styf 1988). This chapter aims to offer a few key points that differentiate between these injuries both in clinical presentation and in imaging characteristics.

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Abbreviations

ABI:

Ankle-brachial index

BMI:

Body mass index = mass (kg)/(height (m))2

CECS:

Chronic exertional compartment syndrome

CT:

Computed tomography

CTA:

Computed tomographic arteriography

FS:

Fat suppression

MIP:

Maximal intensity multiplanar reconstruction

MPR:

Multiplanar reconstruction

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

MTJ:

Musculotendinous junction

MTSS:

Medial tibial stress syndrome

ROM:

Range of motion

SI:

Signal intensity

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center (AMC), Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    L. S. Kox MD & Mario Maas MD, PhD

  2. Department of Radiology, Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijkstraat 10, B2650, Edegem, Belgium

    Jan L. M. A. Gielen MD, PhD

  3. Department of Sports Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijkstraat 10, B2650, Edegem, Belgium

    Jan L. M. A. Gielen MD, PhD

  4. Department of Medicine, Antwerp University, Wilrijkstraat 10, B2650, Edegem, Belgium

    Jan L. M. A. Gielen MD, PhD

Authors
  1. L. S. Kox MD
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  2. Jan L. M. A. Gielen MD, PhD
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  3. Mario Maas MD, PhD
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Andor W.J.M. Glaudemans

  2. Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Rudi A.J.O. Dierckx

  3. Department of Radiology, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium

    Jan L.M.A. Gielen

  4. Exercise and Health, Center for Sports Medicine, University Center for Sport, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Johannes (Hans) Zwerver

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Kox, L.S., Gielen, J.L.M.A., Maas, M. (2015). Radiologic Imaging of Lower Leg Injuries. In: Glaudemans, A., Dierckx, R., Gielen, J., Zwerver, J. (eds) Nuclear Medicine and Radiologic Imaging in Sports Injuries. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-46491-5_32

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-46491-5_32

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-46490-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-46491-5

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