[Traumatology of the knee joint--radiologic and accident surgery aspects--1]

Lesions of the knee joint are relatively frequent and are on the increase due to the increasing number of sports and traffic accidents. Violent force exercised on the knee can lead basically to two different kinds of injury sequels. As a rule, injuries to the bone do not present diagnostic problems if there is a clear break in continuity. On the other hand, it is often very difficult to detect chondral or osteochondral lesions and also certain types of longitudinal patellar fractures and fractures of the head of the tibia. Their visualisation requires more far-reaching diagnostic measures. Fundamentally more difficult to identify: the second group of lesions, namely, those of the internal structures of the knee, unless there is a marked instability which is usually accessible to clinical examination. Relatively slight osseous tears or ruptures of a ligament often remain unnoticed on the plain x-ray film. Other diagnostic techniques are imperative in such cases. The first part deals specifically with the radiological aspects of knee injuries. The majority of injuries close to the knee region can be visualized by making use of all techniques of roentgenology. However, if the examination methods get too costly and complicated without ensuring an absolutely safe diagnosis, other techniques must be employed. An example in this regard are the chondral or osteochondral lesions. It is here that arthroscopy often yields better results while offering at the same time a possibility to remove individual small fragments.