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Posterior talar articular surface

The posterior talar articular surface refers to the smooth, hyaline cartilage–covered surface on the posterior aspect of the talus that participates in articulation with adjacent bones, primarily forming part of the posterior subtalar joint. It plays a crucial role in hindfoot stability and in transmitting forces between the leg and foot during motion.

It is a key anatomical landmark in ankle and hindfoot anatomy, sports medicine, and cross-sectional imaging.

Synonyms

  • Posterior facet of the talus

  • Posterior subtalar articular surface

Location

  • Situated on the posterior aspect of the talus

  • Forms the talar component of the posterior subtalar joint

  • Inferior to the talar body

  • Superior to the calcaneus

  • Separated from the middle talar facet by the sulcus tali

  • Adjacent to the posterior process of the talus

Anatomical components

  • Hyaline cartilage–covered articular surface

  • Subchondral bone plate

  • Underlying cancellous bone of the talus

  • Margins continuous with talar body and posterior process

Relations

Superiorly:

  • Talar body

Inferiorly:

  • Posterior facet of the calcaneus

Anteriorly:

  • Sulcus tali and tarsal canal

Posteriorly:

  • Posterior talar process

  • Flexor hallucis longus (FHL) groove (medial side)

Medially:

  • Medial tubercle of posterior talar process

Laterally:

  • Lateral tubercle of posterior talar process

X-ray appearance

Plain radiographs (lateral and oblique ankle views):

  • Posterior talar surface: Visualized indirectly as part of the talocalcaneal joint contour

  • Joint space: Seen as a smooth radiolucent line between talus and calcaneus

  • Best seen on: Lateral and Harris-Beath views

CT appearance

Non-contrast CT:

  • Articular surface: Smooth cortical contour with subchondral bone plate

  • Joint congruity: Clear visualization of talocalcaneal articulation

  • Trabecular pattern: Normal cancellous bone deep to the articular surface

  • Spatial detail: Excellent for assessing surface morphology and alignment

MRI appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • Subchondral bone: High signal from fatty marrow

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

  • Joint interface: Clearly delineated

T2-weighted images:

  • Articular cartilage: Intermediate signal

  • Joint fluid: High signal outlining the posterior facet

  • Subchondral bone: Low-to-intermediate signal

STIR:

  • Fat suppression: Uniform suppression of marrow fat

  • Articular margins: Well visualized

  • Joint space: Bright signal from synovial fluid

Proton density fat-saturated (PD FS):

  • Cartilage: Intermediate signal against suppressed marrow

  • Joint fluid: High signal

  • Subchondral interface: Sharply defined

MRI image

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