Magnetic resonance arthrographic dissection of posterolateral corner of the knee: revealing the meniscofibular ligament

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate meniscofibular ligament (MFibL) at the posterolateral corner of the knee joint on the magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) with 70° knee flexion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The MRA of the knee joint was performed at 70° knee flexion. Eighteen patients (19 knee joints) underwent scanning of sagittal, coronal, and axial fat-suppressed T1 weighted images (T1FS), and coronal fat-suppressed T2 weighted images. Sagittal three-dimensional (3D) gradient echo (GRE) images were also obtained. Retrospective review of 19 knee MRA studies was independently performed by two musculoskeletal radiologists. The statistical significance was proved by chi-square test.

RESULTS: The MFibL ligament was optimally demonstrated on the far lateral sagittal 3D GRE and T1FS MRA images. The MFibL appeared as a curvilinear or straight hypointense band of variable thickness, extended from the posterolateral meniscus to upper anteromedial aspect of the fibular head. The MFibL was demonstrated with scale 2 (more than a half length of the ligament) by both reviewers in 73.68% (n=14/19) of the knee 3D GRE images and 89.47% (n=17/19) of the knee T1FS images. The visualization on T1FS and that on GRE were not statistically different from each other (p>0.05). The interobserver agreements were significantly good on both 3D GRE and T1FS images in detecting the ligament (kappa values, 0.642 and 0.683, respectively).

CONCLUSION: The MFibL is well visualized on the far lateral sagittal MRA at 70° knee flexion, which could potentially be useful in recognizing structures in the posterolateral corner of the knee, including the MFibL.