ANATOMY AND MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING OF THE POSTEROLATERAL STRUCTURES OF THE KNEE

The purpose of the present study was to provide detailed information o f the morphological and radiological characteristics of the posterolat eral structures of the knee. Muscles and ligaments of the posterolater al part of the knee were studied by dissections of 50 adult cadaver kn ees and by Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI) before and after dissectio ns for comparisons. Diverse morphological characteristics of the arcua te Ligament were found. The fabellofibular ligament was present in 42. 1% of the knees dissected, whereas the popliteofibular ligament was fo und in 37.5%. A ligamentous structure, which could be called the poste rior tibial ligament, was found in 31.6% of the cases that originated from the lateral part of the capsule proximally and inserted distally on the mid portion of the proximal tibia. By comparing the cross secti ons and the dissections of the cadaver knees, the popliteus muscle, th e arcuate ligament, the fibular collateral ligament, the popliteofibul ar ligament, and the fabellofibular ligament could be identified in MR I. Comprehensive understanding of the posterolateral anatomy of the kn ee and improved identification of the structures in MRI will help clin icians to make a more accurate and noninvasive diagnosis of posterolat eral instability. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.