Figure 3a. Axial sections through the ankle of the cadaver of a 74-year-old woman. (a) T1-weighted spin-echo MR image (600/20) shows only thin fibers of the anterior tibiotalar ligament (curved arrow). The posterior tibiotalar ligament (straight arrow) appears as a thick, inhomogeneous band with broad attachment to the medial surface of the talus. (b, c) Corresponding MR images obtained 3 mm (b) and 6 mm (c) below the level of a show thin fibers of the tibionavicular ligament (arrowheads). (d) Photograph of corresponding macroscopic section shows the anterior tibiotalar ligament (curved arrow) and posterior tibiotalar ligament (straight arrow). (e) Photomicrograph (original magnification, x16; hematoxylin-eosin stain) of corresponding microscopic section shows areas of fatty tissue (arrows) between the fascicles (arrowheads) of the posterior tibiofibular ligament. These findings correspond to the inhomogeneous signal intensity on T1-weighted spin-echo MR images.