Suture anchors or bone anchors are surgical implants used for the attachment of soft tissues to bone e.g. ruptured tendons and ligaments. Suture anchors are usually composed of the anchor, a suture and the interface between anchor and suture called 'eyelet'. They come in different types or configurations, designs, sizes and materials.
Types include deployable, bioresorbable, screw-in, interference fit and all-suture anchors.
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History and etymology
The first suture anchors have been developed more than 30 years ago by Goble and Somers in 1985 1,2 with multiple design modifications the stronger ones starting from bone screw suture complexes over biodegradable products and knotless designs to the newer all-suture anchors where the suture is placed through small-sized cortical bone tunnels to keep iatrogenic damage to a minimum 1,2.
Radiographic features
Their radiographic appearances vary with the product and of course the imaging modality.
Plain radiograph
Visibility and appearance vary with the type and material of the product. The classical screw-in types might look like headless screws on plain films.
MRI
Depending on the product the suture anchor might vary in shape and size or might not be visible at all after a certain time if sufficiently biodegradable 4. Depending on the material they might have a metallic appearance with a signal void in all sequences.
A small rim of fluid around all-suture anchors has been described to occur in up to 10% of the cases 5.
Radiology report
The radiological report should mention the following 4,5:
- visibility of the suture anchor with location
- the integrity of the repair
- surrounding fluid or cyst formation
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