engleski

MRI in Patients with Forefoot Pain Involving the Metatarsal Region

AIM: To depict and analyze possible causes of pain in the metatarsal region of the foot on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: During one-year period of observation, 38 patients underwent MRI of the forefoot due to metatarsalgia. We analyzed changes in the soft tissue, bones and joints that could be the cause of pain in the metatarsal region of the foot. RESULTS: There were thirty-two (84%) female patients. In 68% of patients right foot was affected. The age of female patients ranged from 36 to 62 years (median 48), and of male patients from 25 to 40 years (median 30.5). Five of six male patients were active in sports. Among female patients the most frequent findings were static changes in the foot, hallux valgus, and small toes deformities, resulting in osteoarthritis (56%), followed by bursitis in three patients (9%), Morton's neuroma in two patients (6%), stress fracture of the metatarsal bone in one patient (3%), sesamoiditis in one patient (3%), and in 23% of cases the cause of metatarsalgia was not found. Among male patients four of them had sesamoiditis (67%) and stress fracture of metatarsal bone was found in two patients (33%). CONCLUSION: The age at which metatarsalgia occurs is significantly different between men and women. In males, it occurs at a younger age, especially in sports active persons, due to repetitive microtrauma and overuse. In females, it occurs at middle and old age, usually due to static changes in the foot and degenerative joint disease.

MRI; forefoot; pain

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