Alterations in magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of bioabsorbable magnesium screws over time in humans: a retrospective single center study

This study aimed to examine the alterations in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of bioabsorbable magnesium (Mg) screws over time in a single center study in humans. Seventeen patients who underwent medial malleolar (MM) fracture or osteotomy fixation using bioabsorbable Mg screws and had at least one postoperative MRI were included in this retrospective study. Six of them had more than one MRI in the postoperative period and were subject of the artifact reduction measurements. 1.5T or 3T MRI scans were acquired in different periods in each patient. The size and extent of the artifact were assessed independently by two experienced radiologists both quantitatively (distance measurement) and qualitatively (Likert scale). In the quantitative measurements of the six follow-up patients the screw's signal loss artifact extent significantly decreased over the time, regardless of the MRI field strength (p