BACKGROUND: Single photon emission computerized tomography and computerized tomography (SPECT/CT) is useful for assessing blood supply within the femoral head after femoral neck fracture, but its use in all femoral neck fracture patients is not feasible. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify the patients for whom SPECT/CT examination will be most beneficial.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-five patients with a unilateral femoral neck fracture who underwent SPECT/CT examination of the hip and were treated via closed reduction and internal fixation with three screws were enrolled between January 2009 and March 2011. A decision tree model (C 5.0) was used to identify the factors that best reflect blood supply and to build a flowchart for identifying patients who would benefit from SPECT/CT.

RESULTS: Fracture type was most strongly associated with the Fracture/Normal (F/N) ratio, which reflects the blood supply to the fractured femoral head. Age and the time interval from injury to examination were also associated with the F/N ratio. SPECT/CT examination is most beneficial for patients with a displaced fracture, especially if they are over 58 years old and the time interval from injury to examination is less than 10 days.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that elderly people with a displaced fracture are most likely to benefit from SPECT/CT examination, which can show the blood supply to the femoral head within a relatively short window of time after the injury.

Keywords: Factor Analysis, Statistical, Femoral Neck Fractures, Femur Head Necrosis, Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon