Ankle Mortise
Position the Patient
- Seated or supine
- Rotate entire leg 15–20° medially
- Goal: open the mortise joint evenly
Words That Work
“Let your leg relax. I’m going to turn your whole leg inward slightly, keeping your knee, ankle, and foot moving together. This helps us see the entire ankle joint clearly. Hold that position and keep still.”
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Mortise ankle positioning
Set Up the Shot
- Center here
- Central ray
- Mid‑ankle joint (between malleoli)
- Include this in the field
- Collimation
- Distal tibia/fibula · Ankle joint · Proximal metatarsals
- Set the distance
- SID
- 40"
- Check the technique
- Technique
- 60-65 kVp
- Follow facility protocols
Common Pitfalls
- •Insufficient internal rotation (mortise not open evenly)
- •Tibia/fibula overlapping talus
- •Rotating foot only instead of entire leg
Evaluate the Image
What should be visible?
- Mortise joint open
- Distal tibia and fibula
- Talus
Does the image pass?
- ✓Mortise joint space open evenly
- ✓No overlap of tibia/fibula over talus
- ✓Entire ankle included