Ligaments of the Lisfranc joint in MRI: 3D-SPACE (sampling perfection with application optimized contrasts using different flip-angle evolution) sequence compared to three orthogonal proton-density fat-saturated (PD fs) sequences.

Purpose: To compare the detection rate and visibility of the ligaments in the Lisfranc joint with a single 3D (-SPACE) MR sequence and three orthogonal PD fat-saturated sequences.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-one asymptomatic feet and 15 patients with posttraumatic pain in the Lisfranc joint were evaluated with a 3D-SPACE-sequence (0.5 mm section thickness, acquisition time 10:22 min, secondary reformations) and three orthogonal PD fs sequences (2 mm section thickness, 9:20 min). The Lisfranc-ligament, the dorsal and plantar tarsometatarsal ligaments (TMT), the dorsal, interosseous, and plantar intermetatarsal ligaments (IMT) (24 ligaments for each foot) were assessed.

Results: In asymptomatic feet, 692 ligaments were detected with the SPACE sequence, thereof 90.6 % exhibited normal signal, and most (96.9 %) were completely visible on one single image. A total of 659 ligaments were detected with the PD fs sequence, thereof 86.6 % yielded normal signal, and 28.5 % were completely visible on one single image. In patients, 327 ligaments were detected with SPACE, thereof 50.6 % appeared completely visible with high signal. On PD fs, 308 ligaments were detected, 42.2 % of the ligaments had high signals.

Conclusions: The ligaments of the Lisfranc joint are better detected with a single 3D-SPACE sequence and secondary reformations than with three orthogonal PD fs sequences.