CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne
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To examine the efficiency of the current use of radiography in patients with acute ankle injury. To study the judgements and attitudes of experienced clinicians in their use of ankle radiography and to thereby assess the potential for improved efficiency. ⋯ Emergency physicians order radiography for most patients with ankle injury even though they can accurately discriminate between fracture and nonfracture cases and clearly expect most of the radiographs to give normal results. These findings suggest great potential for a more efficient use of radiography in patients with ankle injury, possibly through the use of guidelines.