[Potentialities of radiological diagnosis of injuries to the dorsal pelvic ring].

Thirty-five patients with fractures of the anterior pelvis, in whom there was clinical suspicion of trauma to the posterior part of the pelvis, were examined by conventional radiology, bone scintigraphy and computed tomography, and the results were compared. CT provided the most information and made it possible to evaluate the soft tissues and organs of the pelvis. Bone scintigraphy produced the same number of abnormal findings as CT (sensitivity 100%), but was unable to differentiate between lesions of the sacro-iliac joints, fractures of the sacrum, combined injuries or degenerative processes. A positive bone scintigram is a reliable finding, with a high predictive value. A negative result excludes a fracture or other lesions of the dorsal portion of the pelvis completely. Conventional radiographs provided a correct diagnosis in only 37.1% as compared with CT.