Cinematic rendering in traumatic musculoskeletal injuries of the lower extremity: a pictorial review.

Musculoskeletal pathologies involve multiple tissue types, most commonly including bone and muscle. This complexity leads to diverse clinical presentations, which complicates diagnosis, management, and triage, particularly in acute trauma cases. Accurate visualization of these injuries requires timely imaging and detailed interpretation of intricate anatomical structures, especially in the emergency department (ED). While conventional radiographs and two-dimensional (2D) computed tomography (CT) remain valuable for evaluating such injuries, a novel three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction technique, cinematic rendering (CR), produces photorealistic visualizations and has demonstrated promise in improving visualization. CR improves anatomic precision, fracture detail, assessment of skin and soft-tissue involvement, and evaluation of vascular involvement, all of which are critical for diagnostic workup, surgical planning, and postoperative management. This article presents a series of cases involving traumatic musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries of the lower extremity. The integration of CR into clinical and multidisciplinary workflows is examined, with emphasis on its application within established imaging protocols to address specific diagnostic and surgical planning requirements.