Explanations of Latin diagnoses around the knee

In medicine, diagnoses are often given in Latin. Although this enables international communication in medical circles, the Latin diagnoses are usually completely incomprehensible to the patient. If the Latin diagnoses are also abbreviated, even medical experts are puzzled about their meaning.

To make it easier for you to decipher the diagnoses and understand their meaning, you will find an overview of the most common Latin terms relating to the knee below.

Most frequent knee-related diagnoses

Latin abbreviation English meaning
Laes. men. med. gen. Injury of the inner meniscus
Laes. men. lat. gen. Injury of the outer meniscus
Rupt. lig. cruc. ant. gen. Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament
Rupt. men. med. gen. Rupture of the inner meniscus
Rupt. men. lat. gen. Rupture of the outer meniscus
Dist. lig. collat. med. gen. Strain of the medial collateral ligament of the knee joint
Rupt. lig. collat. med. gen. Tear of the medial collateral ligament of the knee joint

Diagnoses around the knee

Latin abbreviation Latin term English meaning
Arthrosis Arthrosis Osteoarthritis, joint wear
Chondropathia Chondropathia Chondropathy, damage to the joint cartilage
Cont. Contusio Bruise
Cont. gen. Contusio genus Bruise of the knee
Corp. lib. Corpus liberum Free joint body
Dist. Distorsio Strain
Dist. artic. gen. Distorsio articulationis genus Straining of the knee joint
Dist. lig. collat. lat. gen. Distorsio ligamenti collateralis lateralis genu Strain of the outer collateral ligament of the knee joint
Dist. lig. collat. med. gen. Distorsio ligamenti collateralis medialis genu Strain of the inner collateral ligament of the knee joint
Genu recurvatum Genu recurvatum Hyperextendable knee joint
Genu valgum Genu valgum Knock-kneed, valgus malalignment of the knee
Genu varum Genu varum bow-leg, varus malalignment of the knee
Haemarthros Haemarthros Haematoma in the joint
Haem. Haematoma Bruise
Hydrops Hydrops Joint effusion
Inflamm. Inflammatio Inflammation
Laes. Laesio Injury
Laes. cart. Laesio cartilaginis Injury of the cartilage
Rerupt. Reruptura Repeated tear
Rupt. lig. collat. lat. gen. Ruptura ligamenti collateralis lateralis genu Tear of the outer collateral ligament of the knee joint
Rupt. lig. collat. med. gen. Ruptura ligamenti collateralis medialis genu Tear of the inner collateral ligament of the knee joint
Rupt. lig. cruc. ant. gen. Ruptura ligamenti cruciati anterioris genus Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament
Rupt. lig. cruc. post. gen. Ruptura ligamenti cruciati posterioris genus Rupture of the posterior cruciate ligament
Rupt. lig. patell. Ruptura ligamenti patellae Rupture of the patellar tendon
Rupt. men. lat Ruptura menisci lateralis Tear of the outer meniscus
Rupt. men. med. Ruptura menisci medialis Tear of the inner meniscus
Rupt. tend. musc. quadric. Fem. Ruptura tendinis musculi quadricipitis femoris Rupture of the quadriceps tendon

Anatomical structures around the knee

Latin abbreviation Latin term English meaning
Artic. Articulatio Joint
Cart. Cartilago Cartilage
Fem. Femur Femur
Gen. Genu Knee
Lig. Ligamentum Ligament
Lig. collat. Ligamentum collaterale Collateral ligament
Lig. collat. lat. Ligamentum collaterale laterale Outer collateral ligament
Lig. collat. med. Ligamentum collaterale mediale Inner collateral ligament
Lig. cruc. Ligamentum cruciatum Cruciate ligament
Lig. cruc. ant. Ligamentum cruciatum anterius Anterior cruciate ligament
Lig. cruc. post. Ligamentum cruciatum posterius Posterior cruciate ligament
Men. Meniscus Meniscus
M. Musculus Muscle
Patell. Patella Kneecap
Tend. Tendo Tendon
Tib. Tibia Shin

Localisations

Latin abbreviation Latin term English meaning
dext. dexter, -tra, -trum right
lat. lateralis outside
med. medialis inside
sin. sinister, -tra, -trum left
utriusque utriusque both sides

Additions

Latin abbreviation Latin term English meaning
fixat. fixatus, -a, -um immobilised (with a splint, plaster, etc.)
infect. infectus, -a, -um infected
invet. inveteratus, -a, -um old
non rec. non recens not recent
operat. operatus, -a, -um operated
part. partialis Partial, incomplete
rec. recens fresh
sanat. sanatus, -a, -um cured
suturat. suturatus, -a, -um stitched