[Imaging of cruciate ligament injuries using MR tomography]

The cruciate ligaments of the knee joint can be demonstrated by magnetic resonance tomography, without using invasive methods. High resolution coils and section thickness of less than 5 mm are necessary. Sixty-six patients and volunteers were examined; the results show that the normal cruciate ligaments present as homogeneous zones of low signal intensity within the surrounding fat. Injuries to the cruciate ligaments interrupt the image of the ligaments, change their anatomical position or produce a signal of intermediate intensity. Eighteen operations were carried out on fifteen patients with cruciate ligament injuries and there was good agreement between the MR and the operative findings. Sixteen patients had had previous cruciate surgery and in these there was only partial correlation with the clinical findings.