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John A. Smith, MD

JAMA. 1976;236(20):2323-2324.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

History

A 2 1/2-year-old boy complained of pain below the knee and had diffculty walking. Initial examination showed pain and redness over the right proximal tibia. The patient had a low-grade fever. The white blood cell count was 11,000/cu mm. Figure 1 was obtained soon after onset; Fig 2 and 3, three weeks later.

Diagnosis

Stress fracture.

Comment

The initial roentgenogram (Fig 1) showed no positive findings. Roentgenograms made three weeks later (Fig 2 and 3) showed periosteal elevation with subperiosteal new bone and a sclerotic line crossing the proximal tibia, indicating a healing fracture.

Stress fractures occurring in young adults, especially military recruits, have been described in the literature as early as the mid-19th century.¹ Similar fractures in children younger than 10 years old have rarely been recorded. Often, the clinical findings and roentgenographic appearance lead to an erroneous diagnosis of either tumor or inflammation in these children. . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Radiology, Indiana University Medical Center, Riley Hospital, Indianapolis.

Footnotes
Reprint requests to Department of Radiology, Indiana University Medical Center, Riley Hospital, 1100 W Michigan St, Indianapolis, IN 46202 (Dr Smith).

Edited by Z. Danilevicius, MD, Senior Editor.

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