title: Rupture of the Posterior Cruciate Ligament: Preoperative and Postoperative Assessment.
abstract: Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) ruptures are not common, but reconstruction is increasing because PCL-deficient knees are prone to develop osteoarthritis. Preoperative MRI may confirm a total or partial disruption of PCL fibers. An overstretched PCL is often mistaken for an intact PCL while the knee is functionally PCL deficient, resulting in false-negative MRI reports. Posterior translation of the medial condyle is a useful indirect sign on imaging. Preoperative stress radiographs are used to quantify the degree of PCL deficiency, and posterior translation determines whether to treat conservatively or with surgery. Early postoperative imaging is performed to evaluate tunnel placement and fixation devices. Late postoperative imaging is performed to assess graft rupture, arthrofibrosis, or tunnel widening. Pre- and postoperative imaging plays an important part in planning and treating functionally PCL-deficient knees and PCL ruptures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Haraldsplass Deaconess Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Anagha P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Parkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alcalá-Galiano
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D016119:Posterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011300:Preoperative Care; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012421:Rupture / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed