LE Flashcards
Knee AP View
Pt supine with knee fully extended and leg in neutral
Beam directed vertically 5-7 degrees slightly cephalic
Limitation: superimposed patella
Knee Lateral View
Pt lays on involved side with 25-30 degrees of knee flexion
Beam directed at medial knee joint 5-7 degrees cephalad
Best for patella femoral relationship
Relationship of patellar ligament length (PL) to patella length (L)
PL=L +/- 20%
Tunnel (Notch) View (Knee)
Pt prone with knee flexed to 40 degrees
Beam projected caudally at 40 degrees from vertical
Demonstrates posterior aspect of femoral condyles, intercondylar notch, intercondylar eminence, medial and lateral tibial spine
Potential increased risk of ACL tear
Females have more of an ‘A’ intercondylar notch while males have more of an ‘H’ notch
Sunrise View (Knee)
Pt. prone with knee flexed 115 degrees
Beam directed at patella 15 degrees cephalad
Demonstrates femoropatellar joint compartment well
What is the purpose of deep knee flexion with sunrise view?
to depress the patella deeply within the intercondylar fossa
Disadvantages of Sunrise View
Articular surfaces of femoropatellar joint not well viewed
Subtle subluxations may not be detected
Position tolerance
Axial (Merchant) View (Knee)
Pt supine with knee flexed 45 degrees
Beam directed caudally through patella at 60 degrees from vertical
Demonstrates Articular facets of the patella and femur, sulcus and congruence angle
Congruence angle
Normal: -6 degrees
Greater than 16 degrees associated with patellofemoral disorders
Bisect sulcus angle, draw 2nd line from lowest point of articular ridge of patella to deepest point of sulcus
Sulcus Angle
Normal: 138 degrees
Formed by lines extending from deepest point of intercondylar sulcus to the top of the femoral condyles
AP Demonstration (Knee)
Medial and lateral joint compartments Varus and valgus deformities Fx of femoral condyles, tibial plateus, tibial spines, proximal fibula, Osteochondral fx Osteochondral dissecans (late stage) Spntaneous osteonecrosis Pellegrinini-Stieda lesion
FBI Sign
Fat Blood Interface aka Lipohemarthrosis: Blood and bone marrow fat enter the joint creating layering on radiograph
Indicates: Intraarticular Fx
Sinding-Larsen-Johansson Disease
Fragmentation of lower pole of the patella and significant soft tissue swelling associated with calcification and ossifications of the patellar ligament
Osgood-Schlatter Disease
Avulsed tibial tuberosity
Soft tissue swelling
Tx: activity modification lower impact and counterforce braces, will heal itself with maturation and time
Osteochondral Fx
Shearing/ rotary forces applied to the articular surface of the femur result in detachment fragment of articular cartilage
Types of meniscus tears
Peripheral detachment Peripheral Tear Cleavage Tear Simple Vertical Tear Bucket-Handle Tear Oblique Tear
Ankle AP View
Pt supine with foot in neutral
Beam directed vertically at midpoint between malleoli
Identifies distal tibia and fibula
Fibular Malleolus Longer than Tibial Malleolus
Ankle AP View Limitations
Overlap of distal fibula and lateral tibia obstructs view of tibiofibular syndesmosis
Mortise View (Ankle)
10 degrees of IR of the ankle eliminates overlap of medial distal fibula for better view of syndesmotic space
Ankle Lateral View
Pt lays on involved side
Beam directed vertically to the medial malleolus
Demonstrates anterior aspect of the distal tibia and posterior lip (3rd malleolus) and Fx oriented in the coronal plane
What imaging modality will demonstrate meniscal injury
MRI?