Lane and Sandhu used a radiologic score to evaluate the process of fracture union. While developed for experimental bone grafting in animals, the same score can be applied to human fracture repair. The authors are from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
Parameters:
(1) bone formation
(2) union
(3) remodeling
Parameter |
Finding |
Point |
bone formation |
no evidence of bone formation |
0 |
|
bone formation occupying 25% of defect |
1 |
|
bone formation occupying 50% of defect |
2 |
|
bone formation occupying 75% of defect |
3 |
|
full gap bone formation |
4 |
union |
full fracture line |
0 |
|
partial fracture line |
2 |
|
absent fracture line |
4 |
remodeling |
no evidence of remodeling |
0 |
|
remodeling of intramedullary canal |
2 |
|
full remodeling of cortex |
4 |
total score =
= SUM(points for all 3 parameters)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 12
• The higher the score the greater the degree of fracture healing.
Limitations:
• Not all fractures fully repair.
Specialty: Surgery, orthopedic, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care, Surgery, general