Low-field magnetic resonance imaging of changes after femoral osteosynthesis failure: a case report

Abstract

We describe here a case study of a 16-month-old female European shorthair cat examined about 6 months after the osteosynthesis of a femoral fracture. Clinical examination revealed a non-weightbearing left limb, pain upon manipulation of the hip joint, complete immobilisation of the stifle joint and muscle atrophy in the left thigh. Low-field magnetic resonance images were acquired in sagittal, transverse and dorsal planes with T1-weighted spin echo, T2-weighted fast spin echo, T1-weighted gradient echo, gradient echo short tau inversion recovery and T1-weighted XBone sequences. Total examination time was 59 min 20 s. The obtained images revealed the presence of osteophytes on the surface of the femoral head, subluxation of the hip joint, atrophy and fatty infiltration of the quadriceps femoris muscle. The symmetry and size of callus in the fracture site were also evaluated. Based on the results of the magnetic resonance imaging exam, the patient was diagnosed with hip osteoarthritis, atrophy and fatty degeneration of the quadriceps femoris muscle with homogeneous and symmetrical distribution of callus in the fracture site. The results of this study confirm the high diagnostic value of low-field magnetic resonance imaging in diagnostics of musculoskeletal injuries in cats.