%0 Journal Article
%T Magnetic resonance imaging findings associated with posterior ankle impingement syndrome are prevalent in elite ballet dancers and athletes.
%A Baillie P
%A Cook J
%A Ferrar K
%A Smith P
%A Lam J
%A Mayes S
%J Skeletal Radiol
%V 50
%N 12
%D Dec 2021
%M 34013446
%F 2.128
%R 10.1007/s00256-021-03811-x
%X <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>To report the prevalence of MRI features commonly associated with posterior ankle impingement syndrome in elite ballet dancers and athletes and to compare findings between groups.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Thirty-eight professional ballet dancers (47.4% women) were age- and sex-matched to 38 elite soccer or cricket fast bowler athletes. All participants were training, playing, and performing at full workload and underwent 3.0-T standardised magnetic resonance imaging of one ankle. De-identified images were assessed by one senior musculoskeletal radiologist for findings associated with posterior ankle impingement syndrome (os trigonum, Stieda process, posterior talocrural and subtalar joint effusion-synovitis, flexor hallucis longus tendon pathology and tenosynovitis, and posterior ankle bone marrow oedema). Imaging scoring reliability testing was performed.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Posterior talocrural effusion-synovitis (90.8%) and subtalar joint effusion-synovitis (93.4%) were common in both groups, as well as the presence of either an os trigonum or Stieda process (61.8%). Athletes had a higher prevalence of either os trigonum or Stieda process than dancers (74%, 50% respectively, P = 0.03). Male athletes had a higher prevalence of either os trigonum or Stieda process than male dancers (90%, 50% respectively, P = 0.01), or female athletes (56%, P = 0.02). Posterior subtalar joint effusion-synovitis size was larger in dancers than athletes (P = 0.02). Male and female dancers had similar imaging findings. There was at least moderate interobserver and intraobserver agreement for most MRI findings.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Imaging features associated with posterior impingement were prevalent in all groups. The high prevalence of os trigonum or Stieda process in male athletes suggests that this is a typical finding in this population.