Diagnosis of Suspected Scaphoid Fractures. Issue 12 (December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Stirling, Paul H.C.; Strelzow, Jason A.; Doornberg, Job N.; White, Timothy O.; McQueen, Margaret M.; Duckworth, Andrew D.
• Is Part Of: JBJS reviews. Volume 9:Issue 12(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Subjects: Bones -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Joints -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Orthopedics -- Periodicals; Orthopedics; General Surgery; Bone Diseases; Joint Diseases; Bones -- Surgery; Joints -- Surgery; Orthopedics; Periodicals; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 617.47
• DOI: 10.2106/JBJS.RVW.20.00247
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2329-9185

Abstract

Abstract : Suspected scaphoid fractures are a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge despite the advances in knowledge regarding these injuries and imaging techniques. The risks and restrictions of routine immobilization as well as the restriction of activities in a young and active population must be weighed against the risks of nonunion that are associated with a missed fracture. The prevalence of true fractures among suspected fractures is low. This greatly reduces the statistical probability that a positive diagnostic test will correspond with a true fracture, reducing the positive predictive value of an investigation. There is no consensus reference standard for a true fracture; therefore, alternative statistical methods for calculating sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values are required. Clinical prediction rules that incorporate a set of demographic and clinical factors may allow stratification of secondary imaging, which, in turn, could increase the pretest probability of a scaphoid fracture and improve the diagnostic performance of the sophisticated radiographic investigations that are available. Machine-learning-derived probability calculators may augment risk stratification and can improve through retraining, although these theoretical benefits need further prospective evaluation. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are a form of artificial intelligence that have demonstrated great promise in the recognition of scaphoid fractures on radiographs. However, in the more challenging diagnostic scenario of a suspected or so-called "clinical" scaphoid fracture, CNNs have not yet proven superior to a diagnosis that has been made by an experienced surgeon.