Tibial Plateau Fracture: Why This Knee Injury Requires Immediate CT Scan Diagnosis
A motorcycle crash victim arrives at the emergency department with severe knee pain, swelling, and inability to bear weight. Initial X-rays appear subtle. However, a CT scan diagnosis reveals a depressed articular fracture of the lateral tibial plateau—an injury that, if missed, may lead to chronic instability, arthritis, and long-term disability. This is the clinical reality of a tibial plateau fracture , one of the most important injuries in medical imaging , orthopedic trauma, and radiology interpretation . Because the tibial plateau forms the load-bearing surface of the knee joint, fractures here are not simply “broken bones.” They are joint injuries involving cartilage alignment, ligament stability, and future mobility. In this expert guide, we review: Pathophysiology Epidemiology Clinical presentation X-ray and CT imaging findings Schatzker classification Differential diagnosis Treatment strategies Prognosis Radiology pearls Clinical quiz questions What Is a Tibial Plateau Fract...