[Injury of the ankle joint ligaments]

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Radiology
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Diagnosis of lateral collateral ankle ligament trauma relies on patient history, clinical examination, and stress tests.
• The utility of stress radiography for acute ankle sprains and defining rupture thresholds remains debated, with talar tilt angles varying widely (5-30 degrees).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a diagnostic tool for acute ankle injuries.
• To highlight MRI's utility in specific ankle conditions where conventional radiography is insufficient.

Main Methods:

• Review of current diagnostic practices for lateral collateral ankle ligament trauma.
• Discussion of MRI's capabilities in visualizing ankle structures, including controlled positioning and detailed section visualization.
• Comparison of MRI with stress radiography and projection radiology in diagnosing ankle injuries.

Main Results:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is currently underutilized for lateral collateral ankle ligament trauma diagnosis despite its ability to visualize injured ligaments.
• MRI is the established imaging modality for acute and chronic sinus tarsi injuries, providing definitive diagnoses in most cases.
• MRI is the preferred method for evaluating chronic posttraumatic pain with anterolateral impingement following anterior talofibular ligament rupture.

Conclusions:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most important second-step diagnostic procedure for acute ankle injuries when projection radiology yields non-diagnostic results.
• MRI offers superior visualization for specific ankle pathologies like sinus tarsi injuries and anterolateral impingement.
• Further investigation into the routine use of MRI for lateral collateral ankle ligament trauma is warranted.