ABSTRACT. In spite of highly efficient diagnostic modalities at our disposal, pathological conditions of the peroneal tendons still tend to be underdiagnosed as a cause of lateral ankle pain. The purpose of this review is to summarise and illustrate common and less common MRI findings in repetitive or single mechanical lesions of the peroneal region as well as predisposing anatomical variants. Peroneal tendon (PT) pathology is not uncommon, but is infrequently reported in the literature. It is the main differential diagnosis of lateral ankle pain, next to capsular and ligamentous injuries. Given that normal tendons hardly ever get torn as a result of a single trauma, anatomical predisposition plays an important role in the pathogenesis of degenerative tendinosis and subsequent partial or complete tears of the PT. Rather infrequent causes for primary tenosynovitis are inflammatory conditions of the tendon sheath, e.g. rheumatic or infectious diseases [1]. Ruptured tendons typically exhibit pre-existing degenerative changes on biopsy studies [2]. In spite of some limitations, MRI is the current method of choice for imaging tendons and fibrocartilage. The MRI appearance of different types and grades of tendon injuries has been exhaustively described [3]. T 2 weighted images perpendicular to the tendon course are particularly appropriate for visualising tendinosis and partial or complete tendon rupture, as well as inflammatory changes of the tendon sheath (tenosynovitis). We used T 2 * gradient echo (GRE) sequences as well as T 2 fast spin echo (FSE) sequences; the higher sensitivity of the former allowed for detection of degenerative or traumatic lesions of fibrocartilage [4] and crystal or haemosiderin deposits in the tendon sheaths. However, when looking for tendinosis, the magic angle effect (MAE) must be considered as a source of bright signal in healthy tendons. With short echo time sequences, a signal increase in the absence of morphological change is a normal physical phenomenon in tendons oriented at approximately 55 u to the main magnetic field (Figure 1). Because PTs change direction along their course, the MAE cannot be avoided completely by positioning the foot [5]. The change in Bright signal of both the peroneus brevis tendon and the peroneus longus tendon below the lateral malleolus owing to the magic angle effect in a T 1 SE sequence. The foot is positioned at approximately 10 u plantar flexion with the patient supine in a closed MR scanner with cephalocaudad main field direction.Cite this article as: Schubert R. MRI of peroneal tendinopathies resulting from trauma or overuse. Br