Question

A 30-year-old man presents after being kicked in the ankle playing football. He has pain over the lateral malleolus and is unable to bear weight immediately after the injury and in the emergency department. According to the Ottawa ankle rules, what is the appropriate imaging decision?

Accepted Answer

Order ankle radiographs to rule out fracture

Answer

No imaging is required because most ankle injuries are sprains

Answer

Order MRI of the ankle instead of plain radiographs

Answer

Order CT scan of the ankle as first-line imaging

Answer

Delay imaging for 1 week to see if symptoms persist

Practice question

A 30-year-old man presents after being kicked in the ankle playing football. He has pain over the lateral malleolus and is unable to bear weight immediately after the injury and in the emergency department. According to the Ottawa ankle rules, what is the appropriate imaging decision?