MR-plastination-arthrography: a new technique used to study the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to describe a new technique called MR plastination arthrography to study both intra- and extra-articular anatomy.


METHODS
In six human cadaveric lower legs MR arthrography was performed in either a one-step or two-step procedure. In the former a mixture of diluted Gadolinium and dyed polymer was injected. In the latter the dyed polymer was injected after arthrography wih diluted Gadolinium. Three-millimeter slices of these legs, obtained in a plane identical to that of the MR images, were plastinated according to the E12 technique of von Hagens. The plastination slices were subsequently compared with the MR images.


RESULTS
The one-step procedure resulted in an inhomogeneous arthrogram. The two-step procedure resulted in a good correlation between the high-resolution MR images and plastination slices, as expressed by a good comparison of anatomic detail of the small syndesmotic recess.


CONCLUSIONS
Images of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis obtained with plastination arthrography correlated well with images acquired by MR arthrography when performed in a two-step procedure.
Hermans
John J
JJ
Department of Radiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 's Gravendijkwal 230, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3015 GD, The Netherlands. j.j.hermans@erasmusmc.nl
Wentink
Noortje
N
Kleinrensink
Gert-Jan
GJ
Beumer
Annechien
A
D001175:Arthrography / Q000145:classification; D005360:Fibula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005682:Gadolinium; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D013977:Tibia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D005682:Gadolinium