MRI around the cruciate ligament
The cruciate ligaments are best seen in a lateral view of the knee. They are shown as thick, arch-shaped, dark bands, with the anterior cruciate ligament being narrower than the posterior one and somewhat lighter. The posterior cruciate ligament leads from the articular surface of the thigh bone at the back of the thigh down to the articular surface of the tibia.
The anterior cruciate ligament leads from the top of the side to the center of the joint surface. Two-thirds of knee ligament injuries affect the cruciate ligaments, with the anterior cruciate ligament being affected up to ten times more frequently in trauma than the posterior cruciate ligament. In the MRI image, the radiologist can see whether a cruciate ligament has torn (in this case, the course of the affected ligament can no longer be traced), whether there is a joint effusion (accumulation of fluid in the joint as a result of the trauma) or a bruise of the bones, and whether there is any accompanying injury to the bones.
Furthermore, injuries to other ligament structures in the knee, especially the menisci, can be assessed. On the other hand, ligament tears are only visible on a CT or X-ray image if they have led to a torn out bone. An MRI image can thus supplement the clinical examination, although in one in five cases it can also lead to an incorrect diagnosis, especially if only a partial tear of a cruciate ligament is present.
Therefore, a thorough additional examination by an experienced orthopedist or trauma surgeon is essential. Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI for short, is a radiological, diagnostic method that provides a good picture of the anatomical structures of the body. It is an imaging examination that, unlike X-ray or computed tomography (CT), works without the use of harmful radiation.
Some clinical pictures of the knee joint require an MRI in order to diagnose them or to determine their extent. For example, since its introduction, MRI has become much more important in medical diagnostics.In 2009, almost eight million MRI examinations were performed in Germany, and the trend is rising. Especially “soft tissues” such as organs or cartilage can be depicted well with MRI, whereas bones can be depicted better with X-rays. For general information on MRI, please see our topic: MRI (overview topic)
