{"uid":"cap_tgOL6M0CzZ-sr7D_hx0Ql","slug":"pittsburgh-knee-rule-calculator-a21791e3","name":"Pittsburgh Knee Rule Calculator","description":"Pittsburgh knee rule (Seaberg 1994): after fall or blunt trauma, a knee radiograph is indicated if the patient cannot walk four weight-bearing steps or is younger than 12 or older than 50. Deterministic published rule with citation. Not a diagnosis; not the Ottawa knee rule.","url":"https://api.magentlab.com/api/calc/pittsburgh_knee","method":"GET","headers":{},"bodySchema":{"type":"object","$schema":"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema","required":["input"],"properties":{"input":{"type":"object","required":["type","method"],"properties":{"type":{"type":"string","const":"http"},"method":{"enum":["GET","HEAD","DELETE"],"type":"string"},"headers":{"type":"object","additionalProperties":{"type":"string"}},"queryParams":{"type":"object","required":["age","blunt_trauma_or_fall","unable_to_walk_four_steps"],"properties":{"age":{"type":"integer","description":"Age in years (0-120). Seaberg 1994: younger than 12 or older than 50 meets the age limb; 12 and 50 do not."},"blunt_trauma_or_fall":{"type":"boolean","description":"Fall or blunt trauma mechanism (Seaberg 1994). true or false as assigned by the caller. The rule does not indicate a film without this mechanism."},"unable_to_walk_four_steps":{"type":"boolean","description":"Inability to ambulate four weight-bearing steps (Seaberg 1994). true or false as assigned by the caller."}}}},"additionalProperties":false},"output":{"type":"object","required":["type"],"properties":{"type":{"type":"string"},"example":{"type":"object"}}}}},"responseSchema":{"type":"json","example":{"path":"/api/calc/pittsburgh_knee","count":2,"items":[{"formula":"pittsburgh_knee","citation":{"id":"seaberg-1994","doi":"10.1016/0735-6757(94)90274-7","title":"Clinical decision rule for knee radiographs","source":"Am J Emerg Med. 1994;12(5):541-543","authors":"Seaberg DC, Jackson R"},"criteria":[{"met":true,"factor":"blunt_trauma_or_fall"},{"met":false,"factor":"unable_to_walk_four_steps"},{"met":false,"value":30,"factor":"age_lt_12"},{"met":false,"value":30,"factor":"age_gt_50"}],"age_years":30,"disclaimer":"Not a medical device. Deterministic published-formula or published-code output for autonomous agents. A licensed clinician remains responsible for patient care and billing submissions.","xray_indicated":false,"formula_expression":"Knee x-ray indicated iff blunt_trauma_or_fall and (unable_to_walk_four_steps or age < 12 or age > 50)","blunt_trauma_or_fall":true,"unable_to_walk_four_steps":false},{"formula":"pittsburgh_knee","citation":{"id":"seaberg-1994","doi":"10.1016/0735-6757(94)90274-7","title":"Clinical decision rule for knee radiographs","source":"Am J Emerg Med. 1994;12(5):541-543","authors":"Seaberg DC, Jackson R"},"criteria":[{"met":true,"factor":"blunt_trauma_or_fall"},{"met":false,"factor":"unable_to_walk_four_steps"},{"met":false,"value":30,"factor":"age_lt_12"},{"met":false,"value":30,"factor":"age_gt_50"}],"age_years":30,"disclaimer":"Not a medical device. Deterministic published-formula or published-code output for autonomous agents. A licensed clinician remains responsible for patient care and billing submissions.","xray_indicated":false,"formula_expression":"Knee x-ray indicated iff blunt_trauma_or_fall and (unable_to_walk_four_steps or age < 12 or age > 50)","blunt_trauma_or_fall":true,"unable_to_walk_four_steps":false}]}},"example":null,"exampleRequest":null,"tags":["x402"],"displayCostAmount":"0.005","displayCostAsset":"USDC","priceDynamic":false,"priceHint":null,"priceStatus":"priced","priceSource":"probe","requiresHandshake":false,"reviewCount":0,"rating":{"score":"0.00","successRate":"0.00","reviews":0,"stars":null,"state":"unrated"},"availabilityStatus":"unknown","priceObserved":null,"sessionDeposit":null,"pricing":{"kind":"static","summary":"$0.005/call","primary":{"kind":"static","protocol":"x402","network":"base","amountUsd":"0.005","per":"call","confidence":"exact"},"accepted":[{"kind":"static","protocol":"x402","network":"base","amountUsd":"0.005","per":"call","confidence":"exact"}]},"paymentMethods":[{"uid":"pm_cI0wNw1Ccmn-LmTlsI7Z0","protocol":"x402","methodType":"crypto","chain":"base","mode":"charge","costAmount":"0.005","costPer":"request","priority":0,"asset":"0x833589fCD6eDb6E08f4c7C32D4f71b54bdA02913","unit":"request","depositMicros":null,"planRef":null}],"brandName":null,"brandSlug":null,"brandBaseUrl":null,"brandDocsUrl":null,"whatItDoes":"Applies the Pittsburgh knee rule (Seaberg 1994) to determine whether a knee radiograph is indicated after fall or blunt trauma, based on age and ability to walk.","exampleAgentPrompt":"Apply the Pittsburgh knee rule for a 58-year-old patient who fell and is unable to walk four weight-bearing steps — should they get a knee x-ray?","exampleUseCases":[{"title":"ED triage after knee fall","prompt":"I have a 55-year-old patient who came in after a fall and can't take four weight-bearing steps — does the Pittsburgh knee rule say they need a knee radiograph?"},{"title":"Young patient blunt trauma","prompt":"A 10-year-old kid was hit in the knee during soccer and is walking fine. Using the Pittsburgh knee rule, do they need an x-ray?"},{"title":"Middle-aged patient borderline case","prompt":"A 45-year-old had blunt knee trauma and can walk four steps. Run the Pittsburgh knee rule and tell me if imaging is indicated."}],"resultDescription":"Returns the result of the Pittsburgh knee rule: whether a knee radiograph is indicated (true/false), with the specific rule criteria met (age limb, ambulation limb, mechanism requirement), and citation to Seaberg 1994. Deterministic output — not a diagnosis.","failureModes":["Missing required query parameters (age, blunt_trauma_or_fall, unable_to_walk_four_steps) returns a validation error","Age outside 0-120 range may produce an error or undefined behavior","Passing non-boolean for boolean fields returns an error","Misapplying rule to non-fall/non-blunt-trauma mechanism may yield incorrect interpretation"],"whenToPreferThis":"Use this endpoint when you need to apply the Pittsburgh knee rule specifically (Seaberg 1994), as distinct from the Ottawa knee rule. Best for emergency department triage workflows, clinical decision support agents, or EHR integrations where a deterministic, cited rule is required to determine knee radiograph necessity after fall or blunt trauma. Prefer this over manual rule lookup when age and ambulation status are already known.","instructions":null,"reviewSummary":null,"reviewSummaryHighlights":null,"reviewSummaryConcerns":null,"reviewSummaryGeneratedAt":null,"activationCount":0,"lastUsedAt":null,"lastSuccessfullyRanAt":null,"lastHealthCheckAt":"2026-09-15T01:00:46.512Z","isFirstParty":false}