X Ray Right Ankle Mortise View, in Visit Clinic

A mortise view of the ankle is an X-ray taken with the foot internally rotated about 15–20° so the tibia, fibula and talus align in one plane, opening the ankle (mortise) joint space. It shows the distal tibial plafond, medial and lateral malleoli, talar dome and syndesmosis, helping detect fractures, joint incongruity and syndesmotic injuries that may be missed on standard AP or lateral films.

Place the patient supine or seated with the knee flexed and the foot dorsiflexed. Internally rotate the entire leg 15–20° (until the intermalleolar line is parallel to the receptor) to open the ankle mortise. Direct the central x‑ray beam perpendicular to the ankle joint, centered between the malleoli. Include distal tibia/fibula and talus and collimate to the joint.

A standard right ankle X‑ray series includes three views: anteroposterior (AP) — assesses joint space and tibia/fibula alignment; lateral — shows talar position and anterior/posterior displacement; and a mortise view (AP with 15–20° internal rotation) — best displays the ankle mortise and medial/lateral clear space for detecting fractures or syndesmotic injury.

The ankle mortise is the bony "bracket" formed by the distal tibia and fibula (malleolar mortise) that receives the trochlea (top) of the talus. It constitutes the tibiotalar joint, a hinge allowing dorsiflexion and plantarflexion while transmitting weight. Stability relies on the tibiofibular syndesmosis and surrounding ligaments (the deltoid medially and the lateral ligament complex).

A Maisonneuve fracture is caused by a high‑energy external‑rotation force applied to the ankle. The force travels up the interosseous membrane, disrupting the syndesmosis and often the deltoid ligament or medial malleolus, and producing a proximal fibular fracture. It commonly follows severe ankle twisting from sports injuries, falls, or road‑traffic accidents and requires evaluation for ankle instability.

No. The mortise view is an ankle-specific radiographic projection used to visualize the distal tibiofibular mortise and talocrural joint, helping detect ankle fractures and syndesmotic injury. For foot injuries, clinicians obtain foot-specific views (AP, lateral, oblique, weight-bearing) and may use CT or MRI for complex midfoot or Lisfranc injuries, choosing projections based on the suspected anatomic injury.