TY - JOUR
T1 - Diagnostic imaging of ankle syndesmosis injuries
T2 - A general review
AU - Kellett, John J.
AU - Lovell, Gregory A.
AU - Eriksen, David A.
AU - Sampson, Matthew J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists
PY - 2018/4
Y1 - 2018/4
N2 - Literature on the various techniques for imaging injuries to the ankle syndesmosis to determine the most appropriate imaging modality for diagnosing syndesmosis ligament disruption and instability was reviewed using the following data sources: Pubmed, Google scholar, SportsDiscus, E-journals and PLOSone. Search terms used were: syndesmosis paired with injury, imaging, radiology, X-ray, stress X-ray, arthrography, ultrasound, nuclear medicine scan, CT scan, MRI and arthroscopy. Articles were selected by reading abstracts and the full article if indicated. Further articles were derived from the references of the primary articles. Plain x-rays of the ankle will detect approximately half on AP view to two-thirds on mortise view of syndesmosis injuries. Syndesmosis injuries frequently occur in association with tibial or fibular fractures. Intra-operative stress radiography failed to detect approximately half of instabilities confirmed at arthroscopy. The current benchmark imaging techniques to diagnose syndesmosis injury and diastasis are arthroscopy and high-power (3T) MRI. Ultrasound is a promising, developing, cost-effective imaging technique which is yet to reach its full diagnostic potential. CT and nuclear medicine scans have limited roles. MRI (3T) scanning in the plane of the syndesmotic ligaments is the investigation of choice to detect ankle syndesmosis injuries. In the presence of associated injuries requiring surgery, arthroscopic viewing with stress examination is the diagnostic benchmark when available.
AB - Literature on the various techniques for imaging injuries to the ankle syndesmosis to determine the most appropriate imaging modality for diagnosing syndesmosis ligament disruption and instability was reviewed using the following data sources: Pubmed, Google scholar, SportsDiscus, E-journals and PLOSone. Search terms used were: syndesmosis paired with injury, imaging, radiology, X-ray, stress X-ray, arthrography, ultrasound, nuclear medicine scan, CT scan, MRI and arthroscopy. Articles were selected by reading abstracts and the full article if indicated. Further articles were derived from the references of the primary articles. Plain x-rays of the ankle will detect approximately half on AP view to two-thirds on mortise view of syndesmosis injuries. Syndesmosis injuries frequently occur in association with tibial or fibular fractures. Intra-operative stress radiography failed to detect approximately half of instabilities confirmed at arthroscopy. The current benchmark imaging techniques to diagnose syndesmosis injury and diastasis are arthroscopy and high-power (3T) MRI. Ultrasound is a promising, developing, cost-effective imaging technique which is yet to reach its full diagnostic potential. CT and nuclear medicine scans have limited roles. MRI (3T) scanning in the plane of the syndesmotic ligaments is the investigation of choice to detect ankle syndesmosis injuries. In the presence of associated injuries requiring surgery, arthroscopic viewing with stress examination is the diagnostic benchmark when available.
KW - CT
KW - general ultrasound
KW - magnetic resonance imaging
KW - musculoskeletal imaging
KW - syndesmosis injury
KW - X-rays
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85041611474&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/1754-9485.12708
DO - 10.1111/1754-9485.12708
M3 - Review article
C2 - 29399975
AN - SCOPUS:85041611474
SN - 1754-9477
VL - 62
SP - 159
EP - 168
JO - Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology
JF - Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology
IS - 2
ER -