Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Korea.
Published online: January 1, 2001.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical usefulness of ultrasonography as a screening modality in the tear of the posterior cruciate ligament of the knee. MATERIALS & METHODS: Twenty-eight patients were examined with ultrasonography of the posterior cruciate ligament of the knee. We routinely evaluated the ligaments with following ultrasonic findings : tear site of ligament, change of the echogenicity, sharpness of posterior margin and thickness of the ligament at 1.5~2cm distant from posterior end of the tibial plateau at which the PCL was inserted. Ten out of 28 patients were confirmed as normal by MRI and physical examination, and 7 out of 28 patients had confirmed tear of PCL by MRI and arthroscopy/or surgery. We analyzed the ultrasonographic findings in these 17 patients. RESULTS: Thickness of normal PCL(n=10) was 3.7~6.2 mm (average 4.8 mm) and torn PCLs(n=7) were ranged from 11 to 20 mm(average 15.57 mm), Normal PCLs had homogeneously hypoechoic except the several millimeters at the posterior insertion sites, however the torn PCLs had heterogeneously hypoechoic echogenicity. In the normal 10 cases and 1 out of 7 torn cases of PCL showed a well defined posterior margin. Six out of 7 patients with torn PCL showed a poorly defined posterior margin. Authors found the tear sites in 3 patients who were torn in distal 1/2 of the ligaments. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonography is a valuable screening examination for the tear of posterior cruciate ligament of the knee. But MRI or arthroscopy is needed to evaluate other combined injuries in and around the knee.
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