Can we assess healing of surgically treated long bone fractures on radiograph?

To determine the frequency and causes for limitations in the radiographic evaluation of surgically treated long bone fractures. Six readers separately scored 140 sets of antero-posterior (AP) and lateral radiographs of surgically treated long bone fractures, using a radiographic union score (RUS). We determined the rate of assessability of the fracture edges at each of the four cortical segments (n=560) seen tangentially on the two radiographs and the causes for non-assessability. The rate of feasibility of the RUS (more than two fracture edges assessable per fracture) was determined and compared according to different parameters. Fracture edges were visible in 71% to 81% of the 560 cortical segments. Metal hardware superimposition was the most frequent cause for non-assessability (79–95%). RUS values could be calculated in 58% to 75% of fractures. Scoring was statistically significantly less frequently calculable in plated (31–56%) than in nailed fractures (90–97%), in distal (47–61%) than in proximal (78–89%) bones and in upper (27–49%) than in lower (76–91%) limb bones (P≤0.01). The type of stabilization hardware is the main limiting factor in the radiographic assessment of surgically treated long bone fractures. Scoring was feasible in only 31% to 56% of plated fractures.