Knee (MRI)
Learning objectives
This study unit will enable you to:
- Identify proton density (PD)-weighted MR images.
- Learn the most important structures of the knee joint and their anatomical relations.
Explore MRI scan
Different MRI sequences allows for different contrast between adjacent structures of a given body region.
One sequence that is very useful to evaluate the knee joint - and most musculoskeletal structures - is the proton density-weighted sequence, also known as PD-weighted. PD images usually show similar signal intensity on fluids and fat, that normally appear as a light gray. This helps identifying this sequence.
The images below show the main structures that can be identified in the knee MRI using PD-weighted sequences.
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You can study each structure individually with the following gallery:
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/femur-12/OyUAJq91FhFiC7U18sISjQ_RackMultipart20181023-12878-7w8vsk.png "Femur (Os femoris); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/patella-16/bjVY92NiM1MjQOfYrjtECQ_RackMultipart20181023-12878-6bfvvf.png "Patella; Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/iliotibial-tract-18/YjuC6mkZ07mdc74UZrOBQ_RackMultipart20181023-12878-11uhoo8.png "Iliotibial tract (Tractus iliotibialis); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/common-fibular-nerve-14/vdtE3bdvhSfMs6mAOIOGWA_RackMultipart20181023-12878-1hnhhod.png "Common fibular nerve (Nervus fibularis communis); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/tibial-nerve-22/pkAS6hCJGicK3cPjFDKk3w_RackMultipart20181023-12878-w0k05y.png "Tibial nerve (Nervus tibialis); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/articular-cartilage-of-the-knee-10/93Wbc6ODMpmuFLABe0lvOQ_RackMultipart20181023-12878-1wo04w.png "Articular cartilage of knee joint (Cartilago articularis genus); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/tendon-of-gracilis-muscle-14/CCa6uFgKyYy2z6nahdGvg_RackMultipart20181023-12878-1kbn4f4.png "Tendon of gracilis muscle (Tendo musculi gracilis); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/tendon-of-semitendinosus-muscle-14/aN7bJDIV3NNhNb3T8HGp3w_RackMultipart20181023-12878-apk1vp.png "Tendon of semitendinosus muscle (Tendo musculi semitendinosi); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/tibial-collateral-ligament-10/KlLvDgPPcuLbMJjc0y2BA_RackMultipart20181023-10448-bp3756.png "Tibial collateral ligament of knee joint (Ligamentum collaterale tibiale genus); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/anterior-cruciate-ligament-9/tgdh1bA4BnnlYVa6PSEmSQ_RackMultipart20181023-10448-1iciux2.png "Anterior cruciate ligament (Ligamentum cruciatum anterius); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/fibular-collateral-ligament-10/uH1UDuA850eK3QjyiXVg_RackMultipart20181023-10448-1rbxhjm.png "Fibular collateral ligament of knee joint (Ligamentum collaterale fibulare genus); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/patellar-ligament-13/ycWSgySEj6eXTTd2ey3g_RackMultipart20181023-10448-3d6vp1.png "Patellar ligament (Ligamentum patellae); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/lateral-condyle-of-the-femur-4/gBCLLS3RNWNWbXC1zxhaqQ_RackMultipart20181023-10448-1m1z9qv.png "Lateral condyle of femur (Condylus lateralis ossis femoris); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/posterior-meniscofemoral-ligament-4/hZ43Xse0Xtnpm9ksYLmw_RackMultipart20181023-10448-a1iifu.png "Posterior meniscofemoral ligament (Ligamentum meniscofemorale posterius); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/medial-condyle-of-the-femur-6/bjY9OgtWCiPw7JIvwgj89w_RackMultipart20181023-10448-1y9zff.png "Medial condyle of femur (Condylus medialis ossis femoris); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/tendon-of-sartorius-muscle-8/cPL6n9Ms5JBMwoNq0tq9A_RackMultipart20181023-10448-tnxyqw.png "Tendon of sartorius muscle (Tendo musculi sartorii); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/oblique-popliteal-ligament-5/s93DBHQw4nIHQXA0FcKBQ_RackMultipart20181023-12138-os9h8s.png "Oblique popliteal ligament (Ligamentum popliteum obliquum); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/posterior-cruciate-ligament-7/HHG2cPiADFR2BDIHnBpIYg_RackMultipart20181023-12230-10fpjgh.png "Posterior cruciate ligament (Ligamentum cruciatum posterius); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/popliteal-vein-10/KZh8iycWBfuj5tgJsRBPw_RackMultipart20181023-26532-799j0h.png "Popliteal vein (Vena poplitea); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/popliteal-artery-10/TyUTOdpFgfxiSrBmKr3M3A_RackMultipart20181023-26532-1ez7udc.png "Popliteal artery (Arteria poplitea); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/lateral-meniscus-2/7T7ipApyn7vgd0UiwOpSQ_RackMultipart20181023-26532-1sqv2sp.png "Lateral meniscus (Meniscus lateralis); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/lateral-condyle-of-the-tibia-3/tO476oL6ywpt5zAkH4Czzg_RackMultipart20181023-26532-1mm7rda.png "Lateral condyle of tibia (Condylus lateralis tibiae); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/medial-meniscus-1/sLojnTL8LVulqn3dvpohgA_RackMultipart20181023-26532-zk65wx.png "Medial meniscus (Meniscus medialis); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/anterior-horn-of-the-lateral-meniscus/0iq8T7fm29ukmUswAmkLA_Anterior_horn_of_the_lateral_meniscus.png "Anterior horn of lateral meniscus (Cornu anterius menisci lateralis); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/transverse-ligament-of-the-knee-1/ta9bYEvYIEPF7ZGzVdmM3A_RackMultipart20181023-26532-13ojwir.png "Transverse ligament of knee (Ligamentum transversum genus); Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/tibia-13/6Tr54jotG4TZ6QOhzTUj6w_RackMultipart20181023-26532-3rverq.png "Tibia; Image:"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/fibula-11/QsAxYf6hSVJJm8lm5Ediw_RackMultipart20181023-26532-1ltbva.png "Fibula; Image:"){kind=logo}
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