Wrisberg Rip

Wrisberg rip is a term coined by the folks at RadSource for a longitudinal tear in the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus that extends laterally from the Wrisberg ligament attachment. They feel that the tear is the result of traction from the ligament of Wrisberg in cases of anterior cruciate ligament tears.

The Wrisberg rip should be differentiated from the normal appearance of the so-called Wrisberg pseudo-tear: A vertical/oblique signal intensity region at the junction of the a meniscofemoral ligament (most commonly the ligament of Wrisberg) with the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus. When seen on only one sagittal slice, the pseudotear is thought to be caused by a volume averaging of the ligament connection with the meniscus. It can also be seen on multiple slices depending on the angle of insertion of the meniscofemoral ligament.

The case above shows a Wrisberg rip. The sagittal images A-C are from lateral to medial. The pink and white arrows indicate the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus on either side of a tear extending laterally from the attachment of the ligament of Wrisberg (blue arrow). The axial images (D, E) show the same thing from a different perspective. Panel F shows the anterior cruciate ligament tear that is seen in association with this meniscal tear pattern.

References

• de Abreu MR, Chung CB, Trudell D, Resnick D. Meniscofemoral ligaments: patterns of tears and pseudotears of the menisci using cadaveric and clinical material. Skeletal Radiol. 2007 Aug;36(8):729-35.
• Vahey TN, Bennett HT, Arrington LE, Shelbourne KD, Ng J. MR imaging of the knee: pseudotear of the lateral meniscus caused by the meniscofemoral ligament. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1990 Jun;154(6):1237-9.