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Gravity radiography helped quantitatively assess medial elbow laxity
As is the case with Telos radiography, gravity radiography proved useful as a way to assess medial elbow laxity in a study of 57 patients with medial elbow pain.
Mikio Harada, MD, PhD, and colleagues assessed the patients’ medial elbow laxity through valgus stress radiography with Telos radiograph and gravity radiography with the elbow in 60° flexion. They compared medial elbow joint space (MJS) on the affected side with MJS on the opposite side in both types of radiographs, and assessed the increase in MJS on the affected side.
Study results showed a 4.7 mm mean MJS on the affected side and 4 mm on the opposite side in Telos radiographs for a mean increase of 0.7 mm in MJS on the affected side. However, there was 5 mm mean MJS on the affected side with the gravity radiographs and 4.2 mm on the opposite side for a mean increase of 0.8 mm in MJS on the affected side, according to results of the study. Researchers found significant correlations between the Telos radiographs and gravity radiographs for MJS on the affected side and the opposite side, as well as for the increase in MJS on the affected side. When they assessed the gravity radiographs, Harada and colleagues also found a high level of intraobserver and interobserver reliability.
“As a quantitative tool for the assessment of medial elbow laxity, Telos stress radiography has an advantage as it is able to assess laxity under uniform conditions. However, there are disadvantages as well, including the need to purchase the Telos device, and the procedure, using this device, is often difficult to perform,” the researchers wrote. “On the other hand, the advantages of gravity stress radiography, which was used in our study, are that special equipment, such as a Telos device, is not required and the procedure can be performed under uniform conditions. Therefore, gravity stress radiography can be performed in every hospital as a quantitative tool for the assessment of medial elbow laxity.” – by Casey Tingle
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.