Background: Purpose, to compare the diagnostic value of MDCT and single lateral X-ray foot in the differentiation of calcaneal fractures. Surgical data was used as reference standard. METHODS, 100 participants with suspected unilateral calcaneal fracture studied with lateral X-ray and MDCT. MPR obtained by the machine software in coronal and sagittal planes. The Axial and post processing scans analyzed.
RESULTS: 100 patients examined by the two tools. Our work included 80 males and 20 females, their median age (33 years). The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of single lateral radiography were 100, 76.92 and 88%. The values for MDCT were 97.92, 96.15 and 97%, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: We settled that MDCT imaging tool with MPR was better than the conventional lateral X-ray in differentiating and categorizing calcaneal fractures. However, the values of the lateral X-ray were not far from MDCT plus the low economic burden, low ionization exposure and easy availability , made it a first imaging tool in differentiating extra/intra-articular fractures. So, one study with a large population sample required to confirm the most accurate first imaging tool.