title: The Anterolateral Ligament of the Knee: What the Radiologist Needs to Know.
abstract: The anterolateral ligament (ALL) was recently identified as a distinct component of the anterolateral capsule of the human knee joint with consistent origin and insertion sites. Biomechanical studies revealed that the current association between the pivot shift and an injured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) should be loosened and that the rotational component of the pivot shift is significantly affected by the ALL. This may change the clinical approach toward ACL-injured patients presenting with anterolateral rotatory instability (ALRI), the most common instability pattern after ACL rupture. Radiologists should be aware of the importance of the ALL to ACL injuries. They should not overlook pathology of the anterolateral knee structures, including the ALL, when reviewing MR images of the ACL-deficient knee. In this article, the current knowledge regarding the anatomy, biomechanical function, and imaging appearance of the ALL of the knee is discussed with emphasis on the clinical implications of these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Dyck
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Eline
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Smet
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lambrecht
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Christiaan H W
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Heusdens
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Van Glabbeek
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Filip M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Vanhoenacker
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gielen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Antwerp University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Parizel
mesh_terms: D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D000072177:Radiologists; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular