Partial or complete disruption of PCL fibers or avulsion of their osseous attachments
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Staging, Grading, & Classification
Gross Pathologic & Surgical Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Reporting Tips
Selected References
Verhulst FV et al: Diagnosing PCL injuries: history, physical examination, imaging studies, arthroscopic evaluation. Sports Med Arthrosc Rev. 28(1):2-7, 2020
Badri A et al: Clinical and radiologic evaluation of the posterior cruciate ligament-injured knee. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 11(3):515-20, 2018
LaPrade CM et al: Emerging updates on the posterior cruciate ligament: a review of the current literature. Am J Sports Med. 43(12): 3077-92, 2015
Levy BA et al: Advances in posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Instr Course Lect. 64:543-54, 2015
Narvy SJ et al: Anatomy of the femoral footprint of the posterior cruciate ligament: a systematic review. Arthroscopy. 31(2):345-54, 2015
Naraghi A et al: MR imaging of cruciate ligaments. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am. 22(4):557-80, 2014
Park HJ et al: The usefulness of the oblique coronal plane in knee MRI on the evaluation of the posterior cruciate ligament. Acta Radiol. 55(8):961-8, 2014
Wang JH et al: Effects of knee flexion angle and loading conditions on the end-to-end distance of the posterior cruciate ligament: a comparison of the roles of the anterolateral and posteromedial bundles. Am J Sports Med. 42(12):2972-8, 2014
White EA et al: Cruciate ligament avulsion fractures: Anatomy, biomechanics, injury patterns, and approach to management. Emerg Radiol. Epub ahead of print, 2013
Rosenthal MD et al: Evaluation and management of posterior cruciate ligament injuries. Phys Ther Sport. 13(4):196-208, 2012
Chen B et al: Double-bundle posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using a non-hardware suspension fixation technique and 8 strands of autogenous hamstring tendons. Arthroscopy. 25(7):777-82, 2009
Hermans S et al: Long-term results of isolated anterolateral bundle reconstructions of the posterior cruciate ligament: a 6- to 12-year follow-up study. Am J Sports Med. 37(8):1499-507, 2009
McAllister DR et al: Posterior cruciate ligament biomechanics and options for surgical treatment. Instr Course Lect. 58:377-88, 2009
Sorrentino F et al: Role of high-resolution ultrasonography without and with real-time spatial compound imaging in evaluating the injured posterior cruciate ligament: preliminary study. Radiol Med. 114(2):312-20, 2009
Jung YB et al: Characterization of spontaneous healing of chronic posterior cruciate ligament injury: Analysis of instability and magnetic resonance imaging. J Magn Reson Imaging. 27(6):1336-40, 2008
Rodriguez W Jr et al: MRI appearance of posterior cruciate ligament tears. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 191(4):1031, 2008
Bellelli A et al: Magnetic resonance imaging of posterior cruciate ligament injuries: a new classification of traumatic tears. Radiol Med. 111(6):828-35, 2006
Cosgarea AJ et al: Posterior cruciate ligament injuries: evaluation and management. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 9(5):297-307, 2001
Sherman PM et al: MR imaging of the posterior cruciate ligament graft: initial experience in 15 patients with clinical correlation. Radiology. 221(1):191-8, 2001
Shelbourne KD et al: Magnetic resonance imaging of posterior cruciate ligament injuries: assessment of healing. Am J Knee Surg. 12(4):209-13, 1999
Sonin AH et al: MR imaging of the posterior cruciate ligament: normal, abnormal, and associated injury patterns. Radiographics. 15(3):551-61, 1995
Fanelli GC et al: The posterior cruciate ligament arthroscopic evaluation and treatment. Arthroscopy. 10(6):673-88, 1994
Patten RM et al: Complete vs partial-thickness tears of the posterior cruciate ligament: MR findings. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 18(5):793-9, 1994
Sonin AH et al: Posterior cruciate ligament injury: MR imaging diagnosis and patterns of injury. Radiology. 190(2):455-8, 1994
Miller MD et al: Posterior cruciate ligament injuries. Orthop Rev. 22(11):1201-10, 1993
Barrett GR et al: Operative management of acute PCL injuries with associated pathology: long-term results. Orthopedics. 14(6):687-92, 1991
Related Anatomy
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Related Differential Diagnoses
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References
Tables
Tables
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
Pathology
Clinical Issues
Diagnostic Checklist
TERMINOLOGY
Abbreviations
Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)
Synonyms
PCL tear
Definitions
Partial or complete disruption of PCL fibers or avulsion of their osseous attachments
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Staging, Grading, & Classification
Gross Pathologic & Surgical Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Reporting Tips
Selected References
Verhulst FV et al: Diagnosing PCL injuries: history, physical examination, imaging studies, arthroscopic evaluation. Sports Med Arthrosc Rev. 28(1):2-7, 2020
Badri A et al: Clinical and radiologic evaluation of the posterior cruciate ligament-injured knee. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 11(3):515-20, 2018
LaPrade CM et al: Emerging updates on the posterior cruciate ligament: a review of the current literature. Am J Sports Med. 43(12): 3077-92, 2015
Levy BA et al: Advances in posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Instr Course Lect. 64:543-54, 2015
Narvy SJ et al: Anatomy of the femoral footprint of the posterior cruciate ligament: a systematic review. Arthroscopy. 31(2):345-54, 2015
Naraghi A et al: MR imaging of cruciate ligaments. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am. 22(4):557-80, 2014
Park HJ et al: The usefulness of the oblique coronal plane in knee MRI on the evaluation of the posterior cruciate ligament. Acta Radiol. 55(8):961-8, 2014
Wang JH et al: Effects of knee flexion angle and loading conditions on the end-to-end distance of the posterior cruciate ligament: a comparison of the roles of the anterolateral and posteromedial bundles. Am J Sports Med. 42(12):2972-8, 2014
White EA et al: Cruciate ligament avulsion fractures: Anatomy, biomechanics, injury patterns, and approach to management. Emerg Radiol. Epub ahead of print, 2013
Rosenthal MD et al: Evaluation and management of posterior cruciate ligament injuries. Phys Ther Sport. 13(4):196-208, 2012
Chen B et al: Double-bundle posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using a non-hardware suspension fixation technique and 8 strands of autogenous hamstring tendons. Arthroscopy. 25(7):777-82, 2009
Hermans S et al: Long-term results of isolated anterolateral bundle reconstructions of the posterior cruciate ligament: a 6- to 12-year follow-up study. Am J Sports Med. 37(8):1499-507, 2009
McAllister DR et al: Posterior cruciate ligament biomechanics and options for surgical treatment. Instr Course Lect. 58:377-88, 2009
Sorrentino F et al: Role of high-resolution ultrasonography without and with real-time spatial compound imaging in evaluating the injured posterior cruciate ligament: preliminary study. Radiol Med. 114(2):312-20, 2009
Jung YB et al: Characterization of spontaneous healing of chronic posterior cruciate ligament injury: Analysis of instability and magnetic resonance imaging. J Magn Reson Imaging. 27(6):1336-40, 2008
Rodriguez W Jr et al: MRI appearance of posterior cruciate ligament tears. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 191(4):1031, 2008
Bellelli A et al: Magnetic resonance imaging of posterior cruciate ligament injuries: a new classification of traumatic tears. Radiol Med. 111(6):828-35, 2006
Cosgarea AJ et al: Posterior cruciate ligament injuries: evaluation and management. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 9(5):297-307, 2001
Sherman PM et al: MR imaging of the posterior cruciate ligament graft: initial experience in 15 patients with clinical correlation. Radiology. 221(1):191-8, 2001
Shelbourne KD et al: Magnetic resonance imaging of posterior cruciate ligament injuries: assessment of healing. Am J Knee Surg. 12(4):209-13, 1999
Sonin AH et al: MR imaging of the posterior cruciate ligament: normal, abnormal, and associated injury patterns. Radiographics. 15(3):551-61, 1995
Fanelli GC et al: The posterior cruciate ligament arthroscopic evaluation and treatment. Arthroscopy. 10(6):673-88, 1994
Patten RM et al: Complete vs partial-thickness tears of the posterior cruciate ligament: MR findings. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 18(5):793-9, 1994
Sonin AH et al: Posterior cruciate ligament injury: MR imaging diagnosis and patterns of injury. Radiology. 190(2):455-8, 1994
Miller MD et al: Posterior cruciate ligament injuries. Orthop Rev. 22(11):1201-10, 1993
Barrett GR et al: Operative management of acute PCL injuries with associated pathology: long-term results. Orthopedics. 14(6):687-92, 1991
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