Diagnostic imaging in athletes with chronic lower leg pain.

OBJECTIVE

Our purpose is to describe the imaging features in athletes with chronic lower leg pain, emphasizing the role of MRI and CT, which are the diagnostic tools with the highest sensitivity and specificity in the differential diagnosis of lower leg pain. Moreover, a diagnostic algorithm in patients with chronic lower leg pain is proposed.

CONCLUSION

Plain radiography has a low sensitivity but may reveal tibial stress fractures, bone tumors, and soft-tissue calcification. CT and MRI may be useful to better evaluate the abnormalities shown by plain radiography.