HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Robinson, P. Articles by Agur, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Robinson, P. Articles by Agur, A. Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

Cadaveric and MRI Study of the Musculotendinous Contributions to the Capsule of the Symphysis Pubis

¹ Department of Radiology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals, Musculoskeletal Centre, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds LS7 4SA, United Kingdom.
² Division of Anatomy, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
³ Clinical Science Department, Philips Medical Systems, Surrey, United Kingdom.
⁴ Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Bradford, United Kingdom.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to define the relations of the symphysis pubis and capsular tissues to the adductor and rectus abdominis soft-tissue attachments on cadaver dissection and correlate with MRI of the anterior pelvis.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Seventeen cadavers (8 males and 9 females; mean age, 80 years) were dissected bilaterally. Rectus abdominis and adductor muscles were traced to the pubis and further attachments to the pubic symphysis were defined. Ten asymptomatic (mean age, 17; age range, 16.5-29 years) male athletes underwent 1.5-T MRI of the anterior pelvis with two surface microcoils (each 42 mm in diameter). An axial T2-weighted turbo spin-echo (TSE) sequence (TR/TE, 2,609/106; voxel size, 0.4 mm) was obtained. Axial and sagittal 3D T1-weighted fast-field echo (FFE) sequences (25/4.9; voxel size, 0.3 mm) were obtained. Sequences were repeated incorporating fat suppression and IV gadolinium. The relation of the symphysis pubis, disk, and capsular tissues to the insertions of the rectus abdominis, adductor muscles, and gracilis were independently evaluated by two experienced radiologists blinded to all clinical details.

RESULTS. In all 17 cadaver specimens, the adductor longus and rectus abdominis attached to the capsule and disk of the symphysis pubis, whereas the adductor brevis had an attachment to the capsule in seven specimens and the gracilis in one. All adductor tendons attached to the pubis. In all 10 athletes, the adductor longus and rectus abdominis bilaterally contributed to the capsular tissues and disk. This was only the case for the adductor brevis in four athletes. No other tendons involved the capsular tissues.

CONCLUSION. Cadaver and MRI findings show an intimate relationship between the adductor longus; rectus abdominis; and symphyseal cartilage, disk, and capsular tissues.

Keywords: anatomy • MRI • musculoskeletal imaging • pelvic imaging • sports medicine

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				I. M. Omar, A. C. Zoga, E. C. Kavanagh, G. Koulouris, D. Bergin, A. G Gopez, W. B. Morrison, and W. C. Meyers Athletic Pubalgia and "Sports Hernia": Optimal MR Imaging Technique and Findings RadioGraphics, September 1, 2008; 28(5): 1415 - 1438. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]