--- title: "MRI and lateral ankle pathology: no symptoms. | Sutter Health" description: "Because data show that functional rehab is successful for 90% of symptomatic lateral ankle pts, caution is warranted if choosing surgery on MRI findings alone." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/mri-lateral-ankle-pathology-no-symptoms-1055312431" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. MRI and lateral ankle pathology: no symptoms. # Magnetic resonance imaging and incidental findings of lateral ankle pathologic features with asymptomatic ankles. Saxena A, Luhadiya A, Ewen B, & Goumas C. _J Foot Ankle Surg. 50(4):413-5. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2011.03.011. Epub 2011 May 12._ 2011-07-01 ## Abstract We prospectively evaluated 102 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations in 100 patients with asymptomatic lateral ankles. The patients were undergoing MRI for other ankle pathologic features, including medial ankle, posterior ankle, soft tissue masses, or Achilles tendon pain. No patient had had a recent lateral ankle injury or any surgery. Whether the anterior talofibular ligament, calcaneofibular ligament, and peroneal tendons were intact, torn, or absent was recorded. The average patient age was 46.4 years. Of the 100 patients, 67 (66%) had no history of a lateral ankle sprain, and 35 (34%) had sustained 1 or more sprains in the remote past. Also, 72 had an intact anterior talofibular ligament (71%), 90 had an intact calcaneofibular ligament (89%), 67 had intact peroneus brevis tendons (66%), and 68 (67%) had intact peroneus longus tendons. One accessory peroneal tendon was noted. Approximately 30% of asymptomatic patients undergoing MRI had abnormal anterior talofibular ligaments and peronei. Because the published data show that functional rehabilitation is successful for 90% of symptomatic lateral ankle patients, caution is warranted if choosing surgical treatment on the basis of the MRI findings alone. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21570324) ## Research topics - [Disease Management](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Disease+Management%5C%22%22) - [Musculoskeletal Disorders](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Musculoskeletal+Disorders%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Medial locking plate versus screw fixation for fixation of the Ludloff osteotomy.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/lock-plate-vs-screw-ludloff-osteotomy-1055312352) Saxena A, St Louis M. J Foot Ankle Surg. 52(2):153-7. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2012.11.005. Epub 2013 Jan 16. 2013 Mar 01 - Publication ### [Vibration and pressure wave therapy for calf strains: a proposed treatment.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/vibration-pressure-wave-tx-calf-strains-1055312323) Saxena A, St Louis M, Fournier M. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 3(2):60-2. doi: 10.11138/mltj/2013.3.2.060. Print 2013 Apr. 2013 Jul 09 - Publication ### [Association of short-term complications with procedures through separate incisions during total ankle replacement.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/short-term-complications-sep-incisions-tar-1055312445) Criswell B, Hunt K, Kim T, Chou L, Haskell A. Foot Ankle Int. pii: 1071100716651964. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2016 Jun 08 - Publication ### [Treatment of medial tibial stress syndrome with radial soundwave therapy in elite athletes: current evidence, report on two cases, and proposed treatment regimen.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/medial-tibial-stress-syndrome-radial-soundwave-therapy-1055312476) Saxena A, Fullem B, Gerdesmeyer L. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2017 Sep - Oct;56(5):985-989. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2017.06.013. Review. 2017 Sep 01 - Publication ### [Percutaneous ultrasonic tenotomy for Achilles tendinopathy is a surgical procedure with similar complications.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/percutaneous-ultrasonic-tenotomy-for-achilles-tendinopathy-1055312483) Sanchez PJ, Grady JF, Saxena A. J Foot Ankle Surg. 56(5):982-984. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2017.06.015. 2017 Sep 01 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/mri-lateral-ankle-pathology-no-symptoms-1055312431#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"MRI and lateral ankle pathology: no symptoms."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/mri-lateral-ankle-pathology-no-symptoms-1055312431#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Magnetic resonance imaging and incidental findings of lateral ankle pathologic features with asymptomatic ankles.","headline":"MRI and lateral ankle pathology: no symptoms.","abstract":"We prospectively evaluated 102 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations in 100 patients with asymptomatic lateral ankles. The patients were undergoing MRI for other ankle pathologic features, including medial ankle, posterior ankle, soft tissue masses, or Achilles tendon pain. No patient had had a recent lateral ankle injury or any surgery. Whether the anterior talofibular ligament, calcaneofibular ligament, and peroneal tendons were intact, torn, or absent was recorded. The average patient age was 46.4 years. Of the 100 patients, 67 (66%) had no history of a lateral ankle sprain, and 35 (34%) had sustained 1 or more sprains in the remote past. Also, 72 had an intact anterior talofibular ligament (71%), 90 had an intact calcaneofibular ligament (89%), 67 had intact peroneus brevis tendons (66%), and 68 (67%) had intact peroneus longus tendons. One accessory peroneal tendon was noted. Approximately 30% of asymptomatic patients undergoing MRI had abnormal anterior talofibular ligaments and peronei. Because the published data show that functional rehabilitation is successful for 90% of symptomatic lateral ankle patients, caution is warranted if choosing surgical treatment on the basis of the MRI findings alone.","description":"Because data show that functional rehab is successful for 90% of symptomatic lateral ankle pts, caution is warranted if choosing surgery on MRI findings alone.","keywords":["Disease Management","Musculoskeletal Disorders"],"datePublished":"2011-07-01","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/mri-lateral-ankle-pathology-no-symptoms-1055312431","inLanguage":"en-US","identifier":[{"@type":"PropertyValue","propertyID":"PMID","value":"21570324"},{"@type":"PropertyValue","propertyID":"DOI","value":"10.1053/j.jfas.2011.03.011"}],"sameAs":["https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21570324/","https://doi.org/10.1053/j.jfas.2011.03.011"],"isPartOf":{"@type":"Periodical","name":"J Foot Ankle Surg"},"author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Saxena A"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Luhadiya A"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Ewen B"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Goumas C"}],"sourceOrganization":{"@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute"},"about":[{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Disease Management","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Disease+Management%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Musculoskeletal Disorders","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Musculoskeletal+Disorders%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"}],"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/mri-lateral-ankle-pathology-no-symptoms-1055312431","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/mri-lateral-ankle-pathology-no-symptoms-1055312431#breadcrumblist"}}} ```