Comparing ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging and scintigraphy in evaluating an experimentally induced muscular hematoma

Abstract

A standardized trauma was inflicted to the lateral side of the calf muscle of 12 New Zealand rabbits, creating a muscle hematoma without external bleeding. The acute hematoma was evaluated within 3 h with radionuclide imaging of red blood cells labelled with 99mTc pertechnetate, ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The results were compared with the total volume of the hematomas as calculated from histological preparations of each injured muscle. Scintigraphy and T2‐weighted MRI accurately detected all hematomas but the calculated volume did not significantly correlate with histology. T1‐weighted MRI did not detect the hematomas. Ultrasonography detected all hematomas and also accurately evaluated the volume. In conclusion, scintigraphy, MR imaging and ultrasonography are all sensitive enough to detect an acute muscle injury, but in this investigation only ultrasonography accurately quantified the volume of the hematoma.