Background Bone stress injuries are common in track and field athletes. Knowledge of risk factors and correlation of these to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) grading could be helpful in determining recovery time. Purpose To examine the relationships between MRI grading of bone stress injury with clinical risk factors and time to return to sport in collegiate track and field athletes. Study Design Prospective cohort over 5 years. Methods Two hundred and eleven male and female collegiate track and field and cross-country athletes were followed prospectively through their competitive seasons. All athletes had a pre-participation history, physical exam, and anthropometric measurements obtained annually. An additional questionnaire was completed regarding nutritional behaviors, menstrual patterns and prior injuries, as well as a 3-day diet record. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry was obtained at baseline and each year of participation in the study. Athletes with clinical evidence of bone stress injuries had plain radiographs. If radiographs were negative, MRI was obtained. Bone stress injuries were evaluated by two independent radiologists utilizing an MRI grading system. MRI grading and risk factors were evaluated to identify predictors of time to return to sport. Results Thirty-four (12 males, 22 females) of the 211 collegiate athletes sustained 61 bone stress injuries during the 5-year study period. The average prospective assessment for participants was 2.1 years. MRI grade and total body bone mineral density (BMD) emerged as significant and independent predictors of time to return to sport in the multiple regression model. Specifically, the higher the MRI grade, the longer the recovery time (p<0.002). Location of bone injury at predominantly trabecular sites of the femoral neck, pubic bone and sacrum (p<0.001), and lower total body BMD (p<0.029) independently predicted prolonged time to return to sport. Conclusions Higher MRI grade, lower BMD, and skeletal sites of predominant trabecular bone structure were independently associated with delayed recovery of bone stress injuries in track and field athletes. Knowledge of these risk factors, as well as nutritional and menstrual factors, can be clinically useful in determining time to return to sport.

Fibroids are the most common gynecologic tumors. Our case discusses the outcome of a 47-year-old woman who presented to our clinic with cachexia, and a giant abdominal mass. An initial diagnostic imaging workup consisted of X-Ray, CT, and ultrasound and indicated a possible diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma. However, after surgical evaluation, she was diagnosed pathologically with an atypical presentation of a uterine leiomyoma. Our case reviews the epidemiology and presentation of both pathologies, along with the imaging workup, and the operative correlation in our patient.

In this study, we assessed the positive-predictive value (PPV) of mammography and/or ultrasonography in women age 50 based on recommendations for biopsies and final pathology results. We performed a retrospective analysis of all mammography and ultrasonography reports issued from 9/2005 to 1/2007 resulting in biopsy among women aged 18-50 at a large county hospital. Data included demographics, imaging modality, breast density, type of finding, BI-RADS, and final pathology. Results were compared to women aged >50 at the same institution. Four hundred and seventy-five biopsies in 395 patients were reviewed. The PPV of BI-RADS 3 (n = 11) was 9.1%, BI-RADS 4 (n = 440) 5.9%, and BI-RADS 5 (n = 24) 66.7%. Forty three (9%) were malignant, of which 31 (6.5%) were invasive carcinomas and 12 (2.5%) were noninvasive. None of the biopsies on patients aged <30 were malignant. Recommended biopsies based on mammography alone were malignant in 20.2% (20/99) compared to 3.4% (7/205) for ultrasonography alone, and 8.9% (15/168) for both mammography and ultrasonography. Suspicious calcifications were malignant in 25% compared to 6.8% for masses/nodules and 3.6% for cysts. Lesions larger than 2 cm are more likely to be malignant (11.8%) than lesions between 1 and 2 cm (3.6%) or below 1 cm (4.3%). The PPV of the current screening modalities diminishes markedly in women under the age of 50 and even more below the age of 40. Calcifications and masses larger than 2 cm should be biopsied, but the current BI-RADS criteria may benefit from revision for other findings in young patients.

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