Question

which structure of the knee is indicated by the arrow?

fibular collateral ligament
tibial collateral ligament
posterior cruciate ligament
anterior cruciate ligament

Explanation:

Identify the anatomical view of the knee joint

Using the Knee Joint Anatomy knowledge point

• The image shows a posterior view of the right knee joint.
• This is confirmed by the presence of the two rounded femoral condyles, the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) crossing behind the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), and the head of the fibula visible on the lateral side (bottom right).

Determine the lateral and medial sides

Using the Knee Joint Anatomy knowledge point

• The fibula is always located on the lateral side of the leg.
• In this posterior view of the right knee, the fibula (and its head) is on the right side of the image, marking the lateral side.
• The tibia is on the medial side, which corresponds to the left side of the image.

Identify the structure indicated by the arrow

Using the Knee Joint Anatomy knowledge point

• The arrow points to the ligament on the medial side of the joint (the left side of the image).
• The ligament on the medial side connecting the femur to the tibia is the tibial collateral ligament (also known as the medial collateral ligament, or MCL).
• The ligament on the lateral side (right side of the image, near the fibular head) is the fibular collateral ligament (LCL).
• Therefore, the indicated structure is the tibial collateral ligament.

Answer:

• (A) Fibular collateral ligament
• (B) Tibial collateral ligament (Correct answer)
• (C) Posterior cruciate ligament
• (D) Anterior cruciate ligament