ABSTRACT
Objective To study the way in showing collateral ligaments of knee by MRI and MRI findings of the normal collateral ligaments.Methods MR imaging examinations were performed in 55 healthy volunteers . MR imaging included T1WI and PDWI sequence on the coronal, sagittal and coronal posterior oblique plane, in order to observe the collateral ligaments, and to measure the medial collateral ligament and the lateral collateral ligament dimension, which were compared with the results of the cadaver published in the related anatomic literatures.Results (1)On sagittal MRI, the angle between the line of medial collateral ligament and the tibia long axis was 0.55°±0.25°,the angle between the line of lateral collateral ligament and the long axis of the fibular neck was 11.47°±1.61)°.(2)On coronal MRI, 96% of the medial collateral ligaments was completely showed on only one slice, at the same time, 82% of the lateral collateral ligaments was completely showed on only one slice .On 11°coronal posterior oblique plane,90% of the lateral collateral ligaments was completely showed on only one slice .(3)The normal medial and lateral collateral ligaments were hypointense string on both T1WI and PDWI coronal MR images , with an average length of 11.53 cm for the medial collateral ligament and 5.31 cm for the lateral collateral ligament.Conclusion Using sagittal plane completely shown the tibia and fibular neck as the standard plane and thickness of 3mm in examining the collateral ligaments of knee by MR imaging can display the medial and the lateral collateral ligament clearly .