Sports Medicine
A Crucial Period
Good Pain, Bad Pain
On Your Knees
Secondary Injuries
Imaging Technology
What's Sciatica?
The Female Athlete
Putting Your Feet First
Itis Schmitis
Too Much, Too Soon
Under the Influence
Twisted
What's Goin' On?
Think Inches, Not Pounds
Preventing Vaginitis
That Painful Pull
Athlete's Heart
Exercise & Arthritis
Chilled to the Bone
Measuring Body Fat
Exercise and Your Breasts
Choosing a Sports Doctor
Lean on Me (Shoulder)
Exercise & Anemia
Exercise Abuse
Pelvis Sighting
Hand Aid
It's All in the Wrist
Back in Action
Altitude Adjustment
Tennis Elbow, Anyone?
Exercising in the Heat
Agony of the Feet
Restless Legs
Night Time Cramps
Birth Control Concerns
No Periods, No Babies?
Post Partum Prescription
Weight Loss Mystery
Undesirable Cooldown
To Brew Or Not To Brew
Fitness After Baby
Biking and Back Pain
Swimmer's Shoulder
A Hidden Athlete
Avoiding Osteoporosis
Drug Testing
Maximum Heart Rate
Headway Against Headaches
Torn Rotator Cuff
Fat Figures
SOS About PMS
Bloody Urine
Sag Story
Lackluster Leg
Bothersome Bulge
Gaining in Years
Taking It On the Shin
Aching Ankles
Hoop Help
Tender Toes
Meals For Muscle
Growing Pains
Hot Tips
High Altitude PMS
Personal Bests
Air Pollution
Ankle Blues
Heartbreak Heel
Yeast Relief

Imaging Technology

Continued...

One of the more recent applications of MRI is the analysis of stress fractures. A bone scan, which involves injection of radioactive material to demonstrate increased activity in bone, is considered a hallmark for diagnosing stress response in bone. Stress fractures usually will not show up on a standard X-ray until the bone is already healing.

However, the high resolution of MRI has been able to show swelling in bone that was negative in both X-ray and bone scan. This is particularly important for women, who are more prone to stress fractures than men because their bones are less dense.

Mangano says MRI has been invaluable in diagnosing bone bruises, known as trabecular microfractures. If not recognized and given time to heal, a bone bruise may progress to complete fracture or other complications.

For example, one ballet dancer had an MRI after exploratory arthroscopic surgery revealed nothing. The MRI showed that the problem was a stress fracture of the tibia, which could not be seen on an X-ray or in exploratory joint surgery.

MRI researchers are developing new and innovative techniques. Ultra-fast MRI is now being used to study the range of motion of various joints.

The final product is an amazing cinematic film of joints in motion. It is an invaluable aid to identifying and tracking problems of the knee or ankle at different points in the joint's range of motion.

Sharp Images, Steep Price

So why hasn't MRI replaced the X-ray machine? Because, along with the fantastic images comes a fantastic price tag.

Depending on its complexity, a basic MRI costs anywhere from $500 to $1,200. The machines themselves cost more than $1 million and are well beyond the reach of most orthopedic practices.

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Table of Contents

Foreword: Billie Jean King

Comments by Barb Harris
Editor in Chief,
Shape Magazine



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