Stress Fracture

  • Etiology: repetitive microtrauma to normal bone
  • Radiograph: fracture represented by lucency, may see marked cortical thickening in area of injury
  • MRI: periosteal + marrow edema, may show fracture line
  • DDX: Ewing sarcoma, no extra osseous soft tissue mass favors stress fracture over Ewing sarcoma

Cases of Stress Fracture

Radiograph of stress fracture of the femur
AP and lateral radiographs of the femur show on the AP view a transverse non-displaced healing fracture through the distal femoral diaphysis that on the lateral view has periosteal reaction and marked cortical thickening along the posterior aspect of the femur.