[nicmarlo]

Q Okay. "Correlative radiographs are obtained of the lumbar spine and of the right femur which reveal compression fracture, minor, superior end plate of L1 and shaggy irregular periosteal ossification along the distal femoral diaphysis." And what is that next word?

A Metaphysis.

Q "Metaphysis primarily ventrally." What is the metaphysis?

A The metaphysis is that portion of the bone which is closer to the joint than the diaphysis. The diaphysis is the shaft, and then the metaphysis is a continuum from the diaphysis to the epiphysis, which is just below the joint.

[nicmarlo]

Q What kind of information does the x-ray give you that the bone scan does not?

A Well, the bone scan is based on the body's metabolism.

Q Okay.

A And an x-ray is a shadow of the bone at a given moment which doesn't involve metabolism. It's just a picture.

Q Now, because of the sentence structure, I'm not sure if there is a single compression fracture at L1 or a second compression fracture also in the femur.

A What this says is there's a compression fracture of the lumbar vertebral body at L1 and an additional radiographic abnormality, irregular periosteal ossification along the femoral bone. Periosteal ossification is not a compression fracture. It's a different kind of abnormality.

Q And the ossification referred to in the femur is primarily ventrally?

A Ventral is that surface of the body related to the belly. Ventral is belly. Dorsal is back.

Q So it was on the front side of the femur?
A Correct.

Q The abnormality was?

A It would be on that side facing closer to you if the patient was standing in front of you looking at you.