ACL MRI: Never Rely on the Sagittal Plane Alone

Radiology pearl: Sagittal-only anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) assessment can lead to missed partial tears. Always evaluate the coronal and axial planes to confirm integrity.

• Teaching point from Dr. Christoph Agten: the sagittal sequence alone is insufficient for reliable ACL evaluation.
• Recommendation: incorporate coronal and axial MR images to detect oblique or partial fiber disruptions that may be invisible on sagittal views.
• Intended audience: radiology trainees and general radiologists performing knee MRI interpretation.

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