Radiopaque muscle studies in patients treated with the Ilizarov method.

The evaluation of muscles and thus limb function is significant in the choice of treatment, as well as an indicator of the results achieved with the Ilizarov method of external fixation. The use of plain film radiology for the diagnosis of soft tissue changes has proven to be insufficient for a detailed evaluation--its data are difficult to interpret, it is impossible to separate a single muscle, or to determine specific anatomic relations between different muscles, and between muscles and bone. The authors present a new method of radiologic examination of the muscles using contrast media and use it as a basis to investigate and develop a system of anatomic, topographical, and morphological muscle features in patients with congenital and acquired locomotor problems and to evaluate how those features change during treatment with Ilizarov transosseous compression-distraction osteosynthesis.