Utility of Weight-Bearing Computed Tomography in the Postoperative Assessment of Ankle Fractures.

Abstract

Background: Ankle fractures are among the most common injuries requiring surgical intervention. Standard radiographs are typically used for postoperative assessment; however, some patients continue to experience residual symptoms despite satisfactory radiographic outcomes. Weight-bearing computed tomography (WBCT), though not yet widely integrated into clinical practice, offers potential advantages in evaluating lower-limb deformities, injuries, and arthritis. This study explores the utility of WBCT for the midterm assessment following ankle fracture fixation and compares its findings with those obtained from standard radiographs. Methods: In this retrospective case study, we analyzed the correlations between the functional outcome scores approximately one year post-surgery and parameters assessed using WBCT. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to evaluate these correlations, and a t-test was performed to assess their statistical significance, with a threshold p-value of 0.05. Additionally, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was calculated as a supplementary descriptive measure, without significance testing. These correlations were then compared with those obtained from standard ankle radiographic views (anteroposterior, lateral, and mortise). Results: Several correlations were identified between WBCT parameters and functional scales, with certain parameters demonstrating high statistical significance (p < 0.05). Overall, the correlations observed for WBCT were stronger than those for standard radiographs. Conclusions: Although the study cohort was limited, the findings suggest that WBCT may provide additional insights beyond conventional radiography. Further research with larger patient groups is needed to establish its clinical relevance.