J Korean Foot Ankle Soc.  2013 Sep;17(3):189-195.

Radiographic Analysis of Tibial-Articular Surface Angle According to the Selection of the Mechanical Axis

• Park JS
• Jeong ST
• Hwang SC
• Kim DH
• Gwark JY
• Yoon HK
• Nam DC

Abstract

PURPOSE
We investigated a statistical difference of tibial-articular surface (TAS) angles between radiographs of standing ankle anteroposterior (AP) and whole lower extremity view, and evaluated whether the tibial axis obtained from the standing ankle AP view reflects the original mechanical axis of lower extremity.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Both the standing ankle AP and whole lower extremity view were taken from 60 legs of 30 healthy volunteers without a history of ankle surgery or deformity of lower limb. To determine the tibial axis, Takakura's and Hintermann's method were employed in the standing ankle AP view. To compare these results with the original TAS angle, ANOVA and multiple comparison test were used.
RESULTS
The mean TAS angle was 88.3 degrees(from hip joint to ankle), 89.5 degrees (from knee joint to ankle), 88.5 degrees (Takakura's method), and 90.2 degrees(Hintermann's method). Although there was a statistical significance (p=0.000) between these results, Takakura's method had no significant difference, compared to the results of whole extremity view by the multiple comparison test.
CONCLUSION
The tibial axis obtained by Takakura's method reflects the original mechanical axis of lower extremity. When a surgical procedure is planned, however, it is necessary to consider that the ankle radiographs do not provide any information on the proximal deformity without the whole lower extremity view.

Keyword

Mechanical axis; Tibial-articular surface angle; Radiographs

MeSH Terms

Animals
Ankle
Axis, Cervical Vertebra
Congenital Abnormalities
Extremities
Hip Joint
Knee Joint
Leg
Lower Extremity