A radiologist ordered a radiograph for a biker’s left leg after he sustained an injury from an accident. The image showed a complete fracture of the tibia bone. There was no visible bone protrusion. The fracture line cuts across the bone in a straight line that runs horizontally to the long axis of the bone. Based on this description, what type of fracture did the radiologist see?

• A. Transverse
• B. Oblique
• C. Comminuted
• D. Compound

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Identify the key characteristics of the fracture described. The fracture is complete, meaning the bone is broken all the way through, and there is no bone protrusion through the skin.
2. Step 2: Understand the orientation of the fracture line. It is described as running horizontally to the long axis of the bone, which means the break is straight across the bone rather than at an angle.
3. Step 3: Review the definitions of the fracture types: Transverse fractures have a horizontal fracture line; Oblique fractures have an angled fracture line; Comminuted fractures involve the bone breaking into multiple pieces; Compound fractures involve bone protruding through the skin.
4. Step 4: Match the fracture description to the correct type based on the orientation and characteristics. Since the fracture line is horizontal and there is no bone protrusion, it aligns with the definition of a transverse fracture.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the fracture type seen by the radiologist is a transverse fracture, based on the fracture line orientation and absence of bone protrusion.