Tendons/Muscles

While internal derangements of the knee often dominate the surgeon’s evaluation, musculotendinous abnormalities about the knee can be important pain generators. Musculotendinous injuries in the knee region have specific implications for treatment and prognosis and can account for unexpected diagnoses that are sometimes missed clinically. Although radiography is the most common initial imaging test, cross-sectional imaging may be necessary to pinpoint the precise anatomic location of a derangement, determine its severity, and assess for coexisting abnormalities. Cross-sectional imaging can be performed with sonography, CT, or MRI, depending on the clinical setting. In this chapter, evaluation of knee tendons and muscles focuses on normal anatomy, anatomic variations, the selection of an appropriate cross-sectional imaging technique, and the most common imaging findings after injury and surgery.