Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Ankle Ligaments

Abstract

Ankle sprains are a common sports injury that can lead to chronic symptoms and residual instability. Ankle ligaments may be classified into four groups. This article reviews anatomy, MRI features, mechanisms of injury, and associated pathology of ankle ligaments. Imaging ConsiderationsAnkle sprains are primarily diagnosed by physical examination. Localization to a specific ligament (Table 1) relies on pain and ecchymosis at the site and abnormal mobility, when maneuvers that an intact ligament would normally resist, are performed. 1 Imaging plays an important role in the acutely injured ankle where these tests are limited, demonstrating multiligamentous involvement and ruling out injuries to cartilage and bone. 2 Radiographs are the initial diagnostic tool, detecting fractures and joint derangement. Stress views are useful for assessing joint laxity, but are limited by pain, different technique and forces applied, and lack of consensus in diagnostic parameters. 1,2

Effect of Ligament Mapping from Different Magnetic Resonance Image Quality on Joint Stability in a Personalized Dynamic Model of the Human Ankle Complex

“…A number of papers in radiologic anatomy have addressed MRI imaging for ankle complex ligaments [40][41][42][43]. However, these have not dealt with careful definition of origin and insertion areas of the ligaments, and this is particularly true for the subtalar ligaments.…”