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Topic

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Articular facet of head of fibula

The articular facet of the head of the fibula is a smooth, flattened to slightly convex surface located on the medial aspect of the fibular head. It articulates with the lateral condyle of the tibia to form the proximal tibiofibular joint, a synovial joint that contributes to stability and load transmission between the leg bones.

This facet is an important anatomical landmark in knee and leg imaging, orthopedic surgery, and assessment of lateral knee pain.

Synonyms

  • Fibular articular facet

  • Proximal tibiofibular articular surface (fibular side)

Location

  • Situated on the medial surface of the fibular head

  • Posterolateral to the lateral tibial condyle

  • Inferior and lateral to the knee joint proper

  • Forms the lateral component of the proximal tibiofibular joint

  • Deep to the lateral knee soft tissues

Anatomical components

  • Articular cartilage covering the facet

  • Subchondral bone of the fibular head

  • Joint capsule of the proximal tibiofibular joint

  • Associated ligaments:

    • Anterior proximal tibiofibular ligament

    • Posterior proximal tibiofibular ligament

Relations

Anteriorly:

  • Biceps femoris tendon insertion (nearby)

  • Anterior proximal tibiofibular ligament

Posteriorly:

  • Popliteus muscle and tendon (proximal relation)

  • Posterior proximal tibiofibular ligament

Medially:

  • Lateral tibial condyle (articular partner)

Laterally:

  • Subcutaneous tissue and skin

Inferiorly:

  • Fibular neck

Superiorly:

  • Fibular head apex

X-ray appearance

Plain radiographs (AP and lateral knee views):

  • Articular facet: Subtle smooth cortical surface on the medial fibular head

  • Joint space: Thin radiolucent line of the proximal tibiofibular joint

  • Alignment: Normally parallel joint margins

CT appearance (Pre-contrast)

Non-contrast CT:

  • Facet surface: Smooth, corticated articular surface

  • Subchondral bone: Uniform density

  • Joint space: Well-defined between fibula and tibia

  • Utility: Excellent delineation of osseous anatomy and joint congruity

MRI appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • Subchondral bone: High signal marrow beneath low-signal cortex

  • Articular cartilage: Intermediate signal thin layer

  • Joint capsule: Low-signal margin

T2-weighted images:

  • Cartilage: Intermediate-to-high signal relative to bone

  • Joint fluid: High signal outlining the articular surfaces

  • Cortex: Low signal

STIR:

  • Marrow: Uniform fat suppression

  • Joint fluid: Bright signal

  • Facet margins: Clearly delineated against suppressed marrow

Proton density fat-saturated (PD FS):

  • Cartilage: Well visualized against suppressed marrow

  • Joint fluid: Bright signal

  • Subchondral bone: Suppressed fat signal improves contrast

MRI image

Articular facet of head of fibula mri anatomy labelled image-img-00000-00000

CT image

Articular facet of head of fibula ct anatomy labelled image-img-00000-00000

CT VRT 3D image

Articular facet of head of fibula