KSSTA 2014
Historically, syndesmosis injuries have been underdiagnosed. The purpose of this study was to characterize the 3.0-T MRI presentations of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis and its individual structures in both asymptomatic and injured cohorts.
It was concluded that pre-operative 3.0-T MRI demonstrated excellent accuracy in the diagnosis of syndesmotic ligament tears and allowed for the visualization of relevant individual syndesmosis structures. Using a standard clinical ankle MRI protocol at 3.0-T, associated ligament injuries could be readily identified. Clinical implementation of optimal high-field MRI sequences in a standard clinical ankle MRI exam can aid in the diagnosis of syndesmotic injuries, augment pre-operative planning, and facilitate anatomic repair by providing additional details regarding the integrity of individual syndesmotic structures not discernible through physical examination and radiographic assessments.
