Editorial Commentary: Ultrasound Barely Beats Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Knee Anterolateral Ligament Evaluation…But Does This Change the Treatment of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Deficient Knee?

Abstract

Ultrasound (US) examination of the anterolateral ligament (ALL) in the anterior cruciate ligament-deficient knee betters magnetic resonance imaging analysis with slightly higher identification rate of the entire ALL presumably due to the ability to test in a functional pivot shift configuration. The ALL was injured in 63% of the anterior cruciate ligament-deficient knees and the injury occurred at the tibial insertion in all cases. Although the authors propose US to be the new "gold standard" for diagnosing ALL injuries, there still remains a question of whether there is any necessity for an US diagnosis of ALL injury when the pivot shift test may provide the necessary information, and the consensus for ALL reconstruction or lateral extra-articular tenodesis has yet to be reached.