OBJECTIVETo study the performance of MRI and its diagnostic value for ligament injuries of knee joint.

METHODSForm June 2008 to February 2010, the MRI of 74 patients with ligament injuries of knee joint were retrospectively analyzed. There were 47 males and 27 females in the group, which course was from 2 h to 10 d, with an average age of 37.3 years (ranged from 12 to 76). The clinical symptom included knee swelling, pain, joint instability, extension-flexion movement disorder. The physical examination showed valgus test or drawer test positive, and tenderness of medial knee positive.

RESULTSThere were ligament injuies in 74 cases, among them, 19 cases were anterior cruciate ligament (25.7%),18 were posterior cruciate ligament (24.3%), 13 were lateral collateral ligament (17.6%), 24 were medial collateral (32.4%), the ligament of 12 cases were completely broken (included 8 cases cruciate ligament and 4 cases collateral ligament presented as discontinued signals of the ligament, and swelling and thickening of the ligament with medium signal in PDWI and high signal intensity in T2WI and in SPIR). The MRI of 62 patients with partial longitudinal tearing ligaments showed continuity, swelling and thickening of the ligaments with medium signal in PDWI and high signal intensity in T2WI and in SPIR. Forty-four cases were examined with surgery and arthroscopy, 41 ligaments were accorded with MRI, diagnosis rate of MRI was 95%.

CONCLUSIONMRI can accurately diagnose the ligament injuries of knee joint,which is an ideal technique in the diagnosis of ligament injuries of knee joint, and should be used as a routine examining method.