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Bucket-handle tear

Case contributed by Abdallah Al Khateeb
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Recent knee injury, unknown mechanism. Complaining of pain and locking knee.

Patient Data

Age: 30
Gender: Male

Knee joint MRI

mri
  • bucket handle tear of the medial meniscus with the displaced fragment paralleling the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) at the parasagittal cuts (double PCL sign)
  • moderate knee effusion
  • baker's cyst

Case Discussion

This case demonstrates the double PCL sign due to bucket-handle tear, which usually involve the medial meniscus. This appears on sagittal MRI images of the knee when the displaced torn fragment of the meniscus comes to lie anteroinferior to the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) mimicking a second smaller PCL.

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