ACHILLES-TENDON STRUCTURE - MR-IMAGING WI TH MICRO-ANATOMIC AND HISTOLOGIC CORRELATIONS

On T1 and T2 weighted MR Imaging, normal Achilles tendon is generally described as a homogeneous low signal structure. However, punctuate an d/or short linear high signal foci are often seen, especially on the a nterior part of axial sections. These images are not artifacts. The ai m of this study was to correlate MR images of 20 normal Achilles tendo ns with micro-anatomic and histologic studies of 2 cadaver tendons. In tratendinous vessels were found in connective tissue septa called meso tenon. Foci of high signals result from this mesotenon. On T1 weighted images, a normal Achilles tendon can present high signal images witho ut any disease process.