MR appearance of painful conditions of the ankle.

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed in 60 patients with ankle pain who were suspected of having various soft-tissue or osseous abnormalities. Results of conventional radiographs had been normal or inconclusive. Soft-tissue disorders depicted by MR imaging included tendon and ligament tears, tendinitis, tenosynovitis, and plantar fasciitis. Osseous conditions demonstrated by MR imaging included osteochondritis dessicans, infarcts, bone bruises, stress fractures, tarsal coalition, and osteoid osteoma. The authors believe that MR imaging is useful in the assessment of a variety of painful ankle disorders.