Clinical/methodical issue: Postoperative imaging of the ankle can be challenging, even for the experienced radiologist. Pathological and postoperative changes to the primarily complex anatomy of the ankle with its great variety of bone structures, tendons, ligaments, and soft tissue in a very limited space may cause great difficulty in differentiating underlying pathology from expected postoperative changes and artifacts, especially in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Standard radiological methods: Selecting the appropriate radiological modality is key to making the correct diagnosis. Therefore, knowledge of the initial and current symptoms is just as important as familiarity with the most frequently performed operations in the ankle.
Practical recommendations: This article aims to give its reader a summary of the most important and frequently performed operation techniques of the ankle and discusses the expected appearance and possible complications in postoperative imaging.
Keywords: Artifact reduction; Complications, postoperative; Ligament reconstruction; Osteosynthesis; Soft tissue differentiation.