Are 2 Radiographic Views As Good as 3 Views to Diagnose Ankle Fractures in Children and Adolescents?

Objectives: Ankle radiographs are among the most commonly obtained trauma images in the pediatric population, with the standard 3 views (AP/mortise [M]/lateral [L]) routinely ordered in the emergency department. The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of sets of 2 views (AP/L or M/L) with the standard 3 views.

Methods: One hundred twenty sets of ankle radiographs of skeletally immature patients obtained in the emergency department of a level 1 pediatric trauma center were used.