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Middle talar articular surface

The middle talar articular surface, also known as the middle talar facet, is one of the three articular facets on the inferior surface of the talus. It articulates with the sustentaculum tali of the calcaneus and forms a key component of the subtalar joint complex, contributing to hindfoot stability and motion.

It is an important anatomical structure in foot biomechanics, orthopedic imaging, and assessment of subtalar joint integrity.

Synonyms

  • Middle talar facet

  • Middle articular surface of the talus

Location

  • Located on the inferior surface of the talus

  • Situated between the anterior and posterior talar facets

  • Medial to the posterior talar facet

  • Superior to the sustentaculum tali of the calcaneus

  • Forms part of the talocalcaneal (subtalar) joint

Anatomical components

  • Hyaline cartilage–covered articular surface

  • Oval or rounded facet morphology

  • Subchondral bone plate

  • Part of the talocalcaneal articulation over the sustentaculum tali

Relations

Superiorly:

  • Body and neck of the talus

Inferiorly:

  • Sustentaculum tali of the calcaneus

Anteriorly:

  • Anterior talar articular facet

Posteriorly:

  • Posterior talar articular facet

Medially:

  • Medial wall of the talus

Laterally:

  • Tarsal sinus and posterior facet region

X-ray appearance

Plain radiographs:

  • Middle talar articular surface: Usually not individually visualized

  • Assessment: Inferred indirectly via subtalar joint alignment

  • Best views: Lateral and oblique hindfoot projections

CT appearance

Non-contrast CT:

  • Facet: Smooth, well-defined cortical articular surface

  • Subchondral bone: Uniform density

  • Joint relationship: Clear articulation with the sustentaculum tali

  • Utility: Excellent for assessing facet morphology and alignment

MRI appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • Subchondral bone: High signal intensity

  • Articular cartilage: Low-to-intermediate signal thin layer

  • Facet contour: Well delineated

T2-weighted images:

  • Cartilage: Intermediate signal

  • Joint fluid: High signal outlining the facet

  • Adjacent bone: Normal marrow signal

STIR:

  • Fat suppression: Uniform suppression of marrow fat

  • Facet margins: Clearly visualized

  • Joint space: Bright signal from synovial fluid

Proton density fat-saturated (PD FS):

  • Articular cartilage: Well visualized against suppressed marrow

  • Joint fluid: High signal

MRI images

Middle talar articular surface mri anatomy labelled image-img-00000-00000