Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p> <bold>Background</bold> . Plantar fibroma (PF) is a benign growth on the plantar aponeurosis potentially causing pain, swelling, and sensory changes. This study seeks to determine demographic differences in PF’s MRI presentation and treatments. <bold>Methods</bold> . This retrospective cross-sectional study included cases of MRI-confirmed PF interpreted by fellowship-trained MSK radiologists. Demographics, symptoms, MR-findings, and treatments provided were studied. Treatments were correlated with symptoms and demographics. All symptoms were weighted equally, and analysis of the number of cumulative symptoms was performed. Fisher’s exact test, Chi Square test, and Kruskal-Walis rank sum test were performed. <bold>Results</bold> . Among 196 PF in 177 patients, male:female ratio was 53:47. The race distribution was Indigenous 2%, Asian 2%, Black 30%, White 61%, and Unknown 5%. Hispanic:Non-Hispanic ratio was 28:69. The cumulative symptoms for patients receiving physical therapy (n = 8), steroid injections (n = 26), surgery (n = 26), and pain medications (n = 126) were 1.38, 1.15, 1.05, and 0.5, respectively. Hispanic patients had multiple cords involved (p = 0.023) and more homogenous MR-signal (p < 0.001). Female patients are more likely to exhibit hyperintense PFs on fluid-sensitive sequences (p = 0.037) and receive aggressive treatments (p < 0.001). Male patients had larger PFs (p = 0.03). Black patients had the largest and Indigenous patients had the smallest PFs (p = 0.001). Patients with more symptoms, and symptoms of pain received focused treatments (p < 0.001). Black patients were more likely to receive surgery, and White patients were more likely to receive pain medication alone (p = 0.025). <bold>Conclusion</bold> . In this epidemiological study of a large database of MRI-confirmed PF, several demographic factors varied for patients’ MRI presentations and treatments. </p>