Arthrography of the ankle. Value in diagnosis of rupture of the calcaneofibular ligament.

As part of a clinical prospective investigations 102 patients with fresh ankle injuries underwent ankle arthrography and surgery for rupture of the lateral ligaments of the ankle. Three hypotheses concerning the improvement of the arthrographic diagnosis of rupture of the calcaneofibular ligament were tested. Two were rejected. Improvement in the diagnostic specificity was possible by combining arthrography with a stress inversion test, but the sensitivity of this combination was low. It was demonstrated that absence of peroneus sheath filling was a better diagnostic sign with good rather than with poor recess filling.