Can an MRI be used to diagnose a tibial stress fracture?
I had bilateral shin splints from overuse (running, soccer, etc.) last October which my doctor diagnosed a “stress reaction” which could turn into stress fractures; the treatment was to stop running and gradually increase my exercise, which I did for 3 months. I started playing soccer again in January and shin pain returned, so my doctor wants to do a bone scan to confirm a stress fracture. However I’m concerned about the high radiation involved in a bone scan (approx. 400x that of an X-ray), and from various friends/internet sources, I’ve learned that MRI’s, which emit much less (if any) radiation, have been used to diagnose stress fractures, although I am not sure about tibial stress fractures. However is this really something I can negotiate with my doctor. On the one hand, I don’t want to be awkward or challenge his opinion, but on the other, I don’t want unnecessary radiation and then be paranoid for the rest of my life about developing cancer.
