Radiographic indicators of acute ligament injuries of the knee: a mechanistic approach

Disruption of a knee ligament is one of the most common entities in patients who present with pain after sustaining trauma to this joint. Occasionally, there are indicators of a ligament injury on initial radiographs. However, close inspection of images is required and knowledge of high-risk areas is imperative in order to render the correct diagnosis. Its importance is that initiation of treatment relies on the accuracy of the initial diagnosis. A high acumen is predicated on the understanding that different mechanisms of injury have specific effects on the structures of the knee. The subtlety of avulsion and impaction fractures on radiographs often belies the significance of these finding. The objective of this review is to provide a mechanistic approach to associate the radiographic abnormalities with their anatomic relevance.