Atlas of Signs in Musculoskeletal Radiology is approved by the ARRS (American Roentgen Ray Society) and is included in AJR Webreview

A. Gentili,MD, M. Beller, MD, S. Masih, MD, L.L. Seeger, MD

Diagnosis:

Bucket-handle tear of the menisci

Discussion:

Sagittal T1 weighted MRI of the knee through the intercondylar notch reveals a fragment of torn meniscus which appears as a low-signal intensity longitudinally oriented band lying beneath and parallel to the PCL, creating a double cruciate configuration, referred to as the double PCL sign. This sign of a bucket handle tear at MRI relates to the peripheral (bucket) portion of the meniscus and the displaced inner fragment (handle) portion. The inner fragment can be displaced for a variable distance over the tibial plateau surface. If displaced as far as the intercondylar notch, in the case of the medial meniscus, the inner fragment can come to lie between the PCL and the underlying tibia.

References:

Atlas of Signs in Musculoskeletal Radiology is approved by the ARRS (American Roentgen Ray Society) and is included in AJR Webreview

A. Gentili,MD, M. Beller, MD, S. Masih, MD, L.L. Seeger, MD