A 23-year-old athlete comes to the office with right knee pain after playing basketball. A coronal MRI of his knee viewed from the posterior aspect is shown below. The asterisk marks the attachment site of which of the following ligaments?

Question

A 23-year-old athlete comes to the office with right knee pain after playing basketball.  A coronal MRI of his knee viewed from the posterior aspect is shown below.  The asterisk marks the attachment site of which of the following ligaments?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

11ec160b_35e7_6125_9249_576b57f7bc03_MD0001_00 In this coronal MRI of the right knee viewed from the posterior aspect, the opaque (white) regions, from top to bottom, correspond to the medial and lateral condyles of the femur (the medial condyle is adjacent to the asterisk), the medial and lateral condyles of the tibia, and the head of the fibula. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) are located within the articular capsule of the knee joint and cross one another as each spans from the femur to the tibia. The PCL attaches to the posterior part of the intercondylar area of the tibia and the anterolateral surface of the medial condyle of the femur (asterisk). It prevents posterior displacement of the tibia relative to the femur when the knee is flexed (posterior drawer test). 11ec160b_35e7_6126_9249_b93f61a3db32_MD0001_00 (Choice A) The ACL is injured more commonly than the PCL. It spans from the anterior portion of the intercondylar tibia to the posterior medial side of the lateral femoral condyle. It prevents anterior displacement of the tibia relative to the femur when the knee is flexed (anterior drawer test). (Choice B) The patellar ligament spans from the patella to the tibial tuberosity and is the continuation of the quadriceps femoris tendon. (Choice D) The tibial (medial) collateral ligament is a very strong band of tissue that spans from the medial femoral epicondyle to the medial condyle of the tibia. It also attaches to the medial meniscus. (Choice E) The transverse genicular ligament attaches the medial and lateral menisci anteriorly on the proximal articular surface of the tibia. Educational objective: The posterior cruciate ligament prevents posterior displacement of the tibia relative to the femur when the knee is flexed. It attaches to the posterior part of the intercondylar area of the tibia and the anterior part of the lateral surface of the medial epicondyle of the femur.

A 23-Year-Old Athlete Comes to the Office with Right Knee