A Comparison of the Radiographic Axial Oblique View with Routine Mortise View of the Ankle Joint in Acute Injury

The purpose of the study was to assess the diagnostic potential of the axial oblique view in acute ankle injury prospectively. This was an exploratory study and objectives were to determine the radiographic features that the axial oblique view demonstrates better than the mortise view. To compare axial oblique view and mortise view in fracture evaluation and assessment of ankle stability. 60 Patients with acute ankle injuries were randomly placed in control and study groups. The control group had 3 routine views namely AP, Lateral and Mortise while the study group had AP, Lateral and Axial oblique views. 2 Radiographers and 2 radiologists unanimously scored each of the two views in question in terms of radiographic features displayed and fractures demonstrated. Radiologists further assessed joint stability by measuring joint spaces on mortise and axial oblique views. AP and Lateral were both standard views in the two groups. Axial oblique view demonstrated most radiographic features of interest on an ankle and statistical significance was on posterior malleolus, subtalar joint, base of 5 th metatarsal and sinus tarsi (p=0,00). Axial oblique view demonstrated all the common fracture types of the ankle with statistical significance in demonstration of trimalleolar and talar fractures (p=0.026) and (p=0.007) respectively. Joint spaces measured on axial oblique view did not correlate with injury of the participants. MCS and SCS correlated with injury in mortise views (p=0.004) and (p=0,00) respectively. Axial oblique view demonstrates more radiographic features and displays fractures better than mortise view. However, it is limited when it comes to joint stability assessment. Copyright © WJMMS, all rights reserved.