title: Anterolateral ligament abnormalities in patients with acute anterior cruciate ligament rupture are associated with lateral meniscal and osseous injuries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of anterolateral ligament (ALL) injury in patients with acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture and to analyse its associated injury patterns.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety patients with acute ACL rupture for which MRI was obtained within 8 weeks after the initial trauma were retrospectively identified. Two radiologists assessed the status of the ALL on MRI by consensus. The presence or absence of an ALL abnormality was compared with the existence of medial and lateral meniscal tears diagnosed during arthroscopy. Associated collateral ligament and osseous injuries were documented with MRI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-one of 90 knees (46 %) demonstrated ALL abnormalities on MRI. Of 49 knees with intact ALL, 15 (31 %) had a torn lateral meniscus as compared to 25 torn lateral menisci in 41 knees (61 %) with abnormal ALL (p = 0.008). Collateral ligament (p ≤ 0.05) and osseous injuries (p = 0.0037) were more frequent and severe in ALL-injured as compared with ALL-intact knees.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ALL injuries are fairly common in patients with acute ACL rupture and are statistically significantly associated with lateral meniscal, collateral ligament and osseous injuries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • ALL injuries are fairly common in patients with acute ACL rupture. • ALL injuries are highly associated with lateral meniscal and osseous injuries. • MRI assessment of ACL-injured knees should include evaluation of the ALL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, B-2650, Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium. pieter.van.dyck@uza.be.
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Dyck
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, University College Hospitals, 235 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BU, UK.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clockaerts
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, B-2650, Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium.|Department of Radiology, Ghent University Hospital and University of Ghent, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.|Department of Radiology, AZ St-Maarten, Rooienberg 25, 2570, Duffel, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Filip M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Vanhoenacker
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ghent University Hospital and University of Ghent, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lambrecht
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650, Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kristien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wouters
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, B-2650, Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Eline
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Smet
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, B-2650, Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gielen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, B-2650, Edegem, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Parizel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D059549:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction / Q000379:methods*; D001182:Arthroscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012421:Rupture; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ACL rupture; Anterolateral ligament; Knee; Magnetic resonance imaging; Meniscal tears