Ultrasound in the diagnosis of pediatric distal radius fractures: does it really change the treatment policy? An orthopedic view

Abstract

Distal radius fractures are the most common pediatric fractures, increasing in number in recent decades. Although simple bi-planar radiographs are sufficient for diagnosis, wrist ultrasonography has been popularized in recent years for fracture detection, mostly because of the concern about children’s radiation exposure. Despite its availability and diagnostic accuracy, ultrasound has not gained widespread acceptance and popularity among orthopedic surgeons. We asked about the reasons for its lack of acceptance as a diagnostic tool by orthopedic surgeons, and its failure to be incorporated into diagnostic algorithms.

Keywords

• pediatric
• ultrasound
• distal radius fracture
• forearm fracture