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Morphological evaluation of the calcaneofibular ligament in different ankle positions using a three-dimensional MRI sequence

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Abstract

Purpose

Evaluating images of the lateral ligament of the ankle is not easy, and evaluation of the calcaneofibular ligament (CFL) in particular is difficult. We prospectively conducted morphological measurements of the CFL in different ankle positions and obtain basic data for use in functional assessment of the CFL, diagnosis of CFL injury, and determination of treatment effects.

Methods

The subjects were ten healthy volunteers (ten ankles) with a mean age of 27.8 years and no history of ankle disease. Imaging was done using a 3-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine and fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition cycled phases (FIESTA-C), a three-dimensional (3D) sequence, with the ankle in a neutral position, maximum dorsiflexion, and maximum plantar flexion. 3D images of the CFL, peroneal muscle tendons, fibula, and calcaneus were prepared at a workstation, and morphological measurements of the CFL were made.

Results

In all positions, the CFL showed a gently curving course with the peroneal muscle tendons as a fulcrum. The tortuosity angle was significantly smaller in plantar flexion (30.0° ± 7.4°) than in the neutral position (41.7° ± 8.3°).

Conclusions

3D MRI sequences showed that, in all positions, the CFL curved due to the influence of the peroneal muscle tendons. With maximum plantar flexion, the CFL tortuosity angle was small, which was thought to have been due to the tension in the CFL.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Sapporo Medical University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan

    Yoshihiro Akatsuka & Hiroyuki Takashima

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8543, Japan

    Atsushi Teramoto & Toshihiko Yamashita

  3. Second Division of Physical Therapy, Sapporo Medical University School of Health Sciences, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan

    Kota Watanabe

Authors
  1. Yoshihiro Akatsuka
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  2. Atsushi Teramoto
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  3. Hiroyuki Takashima
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  4. Kota Watanabe
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  5. Toshihiko Yamashita
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Contributions

YA: Data collection, data analysis, manuscript writing. AT: Project development, manuscript writing. HT: Data analysis, manuscript editing. KW: Manuscript editing. TY: Manuscript editing.

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Correspondence to Atsushi Teramoto.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

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Akatsuka, Y., Teramoto, A., Takashima, H. et al. Morphological evaluation of the calcaneofibular ligament in different ankle positions using a three-dimensional MRI sequence. Surg Radiol Anat 41, 307–311 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-018-2152-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-018-2152-8

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