Postoperative Imaging of Osteochondral Lesions of the Ankle

Radiographic evaluation of chondral repair is an important component of postoperative care. Imaging can confirm normal postoperative appearance, objectively evaluate progression of healing, and provide early identification of postoperative complications. This article briefly discusses the techniques of chondral repair as they relate to postoperative imaging, imaging techniques to evaluate chondral repair, and the normal and abnormal appearances of tibiotalar chondral repair. We concentrate on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging, the mainstay of chondral imaging.