A Preliminary Study On MRI Changes Of Anterior Talofibular Ligamengt In The Anterolateral Soft Tissue Impingement Of Ankle

Objective: To investigate the MRI changes of anterior talofibular ligament(ATFL)in anterolateral ankle soft tissue impingement of ankle(ALSTI)and to analyze the MR signs of ALSTI.Methods: Patients who underwent ankle magnetic resonance imaging in our hospital from 2015 to 2017 were enrolled in this study.According to the clinical diagnostic criteria of ankle joint ALSTI presented in the literature,the patients were divided into ALSTI group(referred to as impingement group)and ATFL injured but no ALSTI group(referred to as non-impingement group),including 31 patients in the impingement group and 18 patients in the non-impingement group.And 10 healthy volunteers with no history of ankle injury and discomfort were collected and scanned by ankle joint MR as the control group(referred to as the control group).The ankle MRI images of each group were retrospectively analyzed,and the ATFL injured changes of the impingement group and non-impingement group were classified.ATFL was assessed using the following categories:(1)Thickness: Normal,thickened,slender,unclear;(2)Local discontinuity of ligament;(3)Irregular contour;(4)Increased signal strength on T2 weighted images;(5)next to the ligament effusion.Recorded and analyzed ATFL abnormalities and abnormal MR findings within the joint.Results: There was no significant difference in the overall thickness of the ligaments,the irregular change of the ligament,the increase of T2 signal,the partial uncontinuous and the ligamentous effusion of ATFL in the impingement group and the non-impingement group(P>0.05).The contours of the damaged ligament in the impingement group were significantly more than that of the non-impingement group.Abnormal signal of soft tissue in anterolateral gutter only appear in the impingement group.Conclusion: In ALSTI of ankle,the overall thickness of ATFL changed,the irregular ligament,the increased T2 signal,the local uncontinuous and the collateral effusion were not significantly specific.In ALSTI,irregular contour changes such as hypertrophy or crimp of ATFL,and filling in ALG may cause impingement tendency.Abnormal softtissue signal in ALG can indicate impingement tendency.MRI has certain value in diagnosing ALSTI of ankle.