Imaging of the Lisfranc injury

Lisfranc ligament and joint injuries are relatively uncommon but can result from a variety of low- and high-impact trauma. Up to 20% of Lisfranc fracture-dislocations are misdiagnosed or missed during the initial evaluation. Timely and accurate diagnosis of the injury and early anatomical reduction and stabilization of the Lisfranc joint are crucial to avoid long-term sequelae and functional impairment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a sensitive and specific imaging modality and should be considered in injuries with equivocal physical and radiographic findings. In this article, the mechanism and the classification of the Lisfranc joint and ligament injuries are outlined, and imaging findings of different modalities are discussed with the emphasis on MRI.