Costs analysis and comparison of usefulness of acute MRI and 2 weeks of cast immobilization for clinically suspected scaphoid fractures

Figures & data

Figure 1. Flow diagram of patients enrolled in this study.

Table 1. Demographic data and baseline characteristics of the MRI group and the control group

	MRI group	Control group	p-value
Age (95% CI) ^a	29 (27–31)	31 (29–33)	0.2
Sex, % ^b
Female	51	40	0.2
Male	49	60
Injured dominant wrist, % ^b	48	45	0.3
Injured non-dominant wrist, %	52	55
Patients in paid work at the
time of injury, % ^b	76	75	0.9
Patients not in paid work, %	24	25
Occupational category, % ^b
Blue-collar workers	70	81	0.2
White-collar workers	30	19

^a The p-value is based on t-test.

^b The p-values are based on Pearson chi-square test.

Table 2. The different fracture locations identified. 3 patients had more than 1 fracture. None of the patients with scaphoid fractures had additional fractures

	MRI group	Control group
Scaphoid	7	4
Other fractures:
Radius	7	4
Metacarpal	6	2
Capitate	4	0
Triquetrum	3	1
Trapezoid	1	0
Ulna	1	0
Trapezium	0	1
Fractures other than scaphoid	22	8

Table 4. Usefulness; days with plaster treatment in subgroups of patients

	MRI group		Control
	n	Days (mean)	n	Days (mean)	Difference of mean (CI)	p-value ^a
All patients	61	12	63	17	4.6 (−0.5 to 9.3)	0.05
Patients without any fractures	35	1.3	52	14	13 (11–15)	< 0.005
Patients without scaphoid fracture	54	8.8	59	15	6.5 (3–10)	< 0.005
Patients with scaphoid fracture	7	40	4	43	2.4 (−18 to 22)	0.8
Patients with all types of fracture	26	27	11	30	2.7 (−7.5 to 13)	0.6

^a t-test