MRI Evaluation of Ligament Injuries of the Knee Joint

Abstract

Background and Objective: Knee joint is the complex joint. It is much frequently injured joint due to trauma. The principle intra articular structures in the knee are the 2 cruciate ligaments, 2 menisci and the 2 collateral ligaments. The main objective is to study the MRI findings in ligament injuries of knee joint. Materials and Methods: MRI knee of 110 patients with suspected ligament injuries of knee joint was performed on 1.5-T MR system using flexible surface knee coil. Results: A total of 110 patients in a period of 2 years were collected and analysed comprising of either single ligament or combination of ligament tears. Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear was most common and seen in 61 patients followed by Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) in 31, Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) in 22 and Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) in 16 patients. Majority of the patients belonged to age group 18-30 years with right knee involvement. Males dominated in this study constituting 63.64% of total population. Conclusion: MRI is non-invasive prime imaging modality with nonionizing radiation and multi planar capabilities. It accurately detects, localizes and characterizes various ligament injuries of the knee joint and help in arriving at accurate final diagnosis thereby guiding further management of the patient.