Dear Orthopedic Imaging Insider,
According to an US magazine poll, 61% of its readers said they couldn't give a toss* about the stateside arrival of British footballer David Beckham and his wife Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham (US Weekly, July 31, 2007).
But we must admit we're smitten with the couple. We understand that Mr. Beckham is actually a talented soccer player, so we're looking forward to his moves on the pitch. In the meantime, Mrs. Beckham, the once-and-future Spice Girl, fascinates us in that special way that only silly people can.
We'd like to dedicate this edition of the Orthopedic Imaging Insider to Posh and Becks. First, we present the case of a soccer player with an acute avulsion fracture of the ischial tuberosity. Medical student Adam Sharp and radiologist Dr. Douglas Beall, both of Clinical Radiology of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, wrote this Insider Exclusive article for the Orthopedic Imaging Digital Community. Click here to read this case study without further delay.
Speaking of delay, Beckham only played for 12 minutes of his inaugural exhibition game (July 21) with the Los Angeles Galaxy because of a bum ankle. A 3-tesla generalized autocalibrating partially parallel acquisition (GRAPPA) MRI exam might have been just the ticket, as it offers a rapid, artifact-free assessment of ankle injuries.
In other soccer-related news, it's possible that more than Becks' pretty face is at stake when he heads the ball: An MRI study out of the University of Cincinnati showed that college-age soccer players have some degree of brain tissue shrinkage.
Finally, the results from two studies could be useful to the pencil-thin Posh if she's interested in achieving good bone health. According to one paper, calcium-rich foods are still the best way to maintain bone mineral density (BMD), while soy compound may also boost bone mass. After all, she's got to have something to hang those designer duds on.
* British slang for "couldn't care less"
