Morton's neuroma differential diagnosis

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Sara Mohsin, M.D.[2]

Overview

Morton's neuroma must be differentiated from other causes of pain in the forefoot because too often all forefoot pain is categorized as neuroma
Since a neuroma is a soft tissue condition, an MRI should be helpful in diagnosis, however, often an MRI will be inconclusive for neuroma even though a neuroma exists
Other conditions to consider are:
- Capsulitis:
  - Inflammation of ligaments that surrounds two bones, at the level of the joint
  - In this case it would be the ligaments that attach the toe bone to the metatarsal bone
  - Inflammation from this condition will put pressure on an otherwise healthy nerve and give neuroma type symptoms
- Intermetatarsal bursitis between the third and fourth metatarsal bones will also give neuroma type symptoms because it too puts pressure on the nerve
- Arthritis of joints that join the toes to the foot
- Calluses
- Stress fractures
- Freiberg's disease