A scan of the bones that form the knee joint: the femur, tibia, fibula and kneecap. It is most often ordered after an injury to find or rule out a fracture.
- Duration5 minutes
- Contrastnot required
- Preparationnone
- Report30 min – 1 hour
What it shows
- fractures and cracks of the bones around the knee
- soft-tissue haematomas after injury
- bone destruction, sclerosis or thinning
- arthritis and osteoarthritis of the knee
- osteochondropathies (osteochondritis dissecans and others)
- dislocation and subluxation of the joint
- tumours arising from bone or cartilage
- bony developmental abnormalities of the joint
When it is recommended
- knee injury, suspected fracture
- knee pain and swelling with normal results of other tests
- suspected arthritis or osteoarthritis
- joint involvement in rheumatic diseases (e.g. gout)
- suspected tumour
- preparation for knee surgery
- monitoring recovery
Good to know
- Meniscus, ligament and cartilage injuries are better seen on MRI; CT and MRI of the knee complement each other.
General information about CT — safety, contraindications, contrast and what to expect — is on the CT page.