Diffusion MRI and Growth Plate Injuries: Pilot Study

University of British Columbia

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Fracture

Treatments: Other: Diffusion MRI

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01774539

H12-03016

Details and patient eligibility

About

Children who suffer fractures to the growth plates (physes) of their bones are at risk for premature growth arrest which can lead to long term complications. There is currently no technique to predict who is at risk of growth arrest following a physeal injury. The investigators aim to determine if diffusion MRI (an imaging method to analyze tissue properties) can effectively pick up differences between a healthy growth plate and an injured one. This would allow orthopaedics surgeons to predict which injuries are at a higher risk of growth arrest, so earlier interventions can be done in the orthopaedic clinic.

Full description

The purpose of this study is to determine if diffusion MRI can be used for tissue characterization in childhood and adolescent growth plate injuries, and to get a better understanding of the physiologic disturbance of an injured physis

Enrollment: 10 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 8 to 12 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Salter-Harris Type II, III, or IV fracture through the distal radius
• Growth plates are open
• Ages 8-12
• Able to consent in English

Exclusion criteria

• All fractures not sustained to distal radius
• SH Type I or V fracture
• Injury to contralateral limb
• Previous injury to distal radius
• Diseases known to alter bone healing or growth]
• Contraindications to undergoing an MRI scan

Trial design

10 participants in 1 patient group

Physeal Injury - Distal Radius

Description:

Patients who suffer a physeal fracture of the distal radius will be scanned and compared to their healthy contralateral limb.

Treatment:

Other: Diffusion MRI