Scaphoid Fracture Epidemiology and Diagnosis

Epidemiology

• Scaphoid fractures show a bimodal distribution, with higher rates in younger (<18 years) and older (>65 years) populations 1
• In younger, more active patients, these fractures commonly occur during sports activities or vehicular accidents 1
• In older, less active patients, fractures typically result from falling onto an outstretched hand from ground level 1

Clinical Presentation and Diagnosis

• Initial evaluation should include standard wrist radiographs with a dedicated "scaphoid view" 2
• The American College of Radiology recommends proceeding directly to MRI without IV contrast if initial radiographs are negative but clinical suspicion remains high 2
• MRI without IV contrast has the highest sensitivity (94.2%) and specificity (97.7%) for diagnosing scaphoid fractures 2