Summary

Weight-Bearing Computed Tomography could serve as a valuable tool for the midterm assessment of ankles following fracture fixation procedures.

Abstract

Ankle fractures are among the most common injuries necessitating surgical intervention. The assessment of the treatment outcomes typically involves standard ankle radiographs in various projections, with computed tomography (CT) scans being less frequently employed. Despite successful surgical procedures, some patients may continue to experience residual symptoms over time, even when conventional radiographic assessments suggest satisfactory results. Weight-Bearing Computed Tomography (WBCT), while not yet widely integrated into clinical practice due to limited availability, holds promise for evaluating lower-limb deformities, injuries, and arthritis. This article focuses on the potential utility of WBCT for midterm assessment following ankle fracture fixation, exploring the statistically measured correlations between the functional outcomes approximately one-year post-surgery and the parameters assessed via WBCT scans in these patients. Furthermore, we compare these correlations with those obtained from the parameters assessed in the standard ankle radiography views (AP, lateral, and mortise views) of the same patients. We emphasize the advantages of WBCT over traditional radiography methods and advocate for further research in this area.