Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear: Reliability of MR Imaging to Predict Stability After Conservative Treatment

Overview

Journal Korean J Radiol

Specialty Radiology

Date 2007 Jun 8

PMID 17554192

Citations 5

Authors

Hye Won Chung

Jin Hwan Ahn

Joong Mo Ahn

Young Cheol Yoon

Hyun Pyo Hong

So Young Yoo

Seonwoo Kim

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the reliability of MR imaging to predict the stability of the torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after complete recovery of the ligament's continuity.

Materials And Methods: Twenty patients with 20 knee injuries (13 males and 7 females; age range, 20-54) were enrolled in the study. The inclusion criteria were a positive history of acute trauma, diagnosis of the ACL tear by both the physical examination and the MR imaging at the initial presentation, conservative treatment, complete recovery of the continuity of the ligament on the follow up (FU) MR images and availability of the KT-2000 measurements. Two radiologists, who worked in consensus, graded the MR findings with using a 3-point system for the signal intensity, sharpness, straightness and the thickness of the healed ligament. The insufficiency of ACL was categorized into three groups according to the KT-2000 measurements. The statistic correlations between the grades of the MR findings and the degrees of ACL insufficiency were analyzed using the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test (p < 0.05).

Results: The p-values for each category of the MR findings according to the different groups of the KT-2000 measurements were 0.9180 for the MR signal intensity, 1.0000 for sharpness, 0.5038 for straightness and 0.2950 for thickness of the ACL. The MR findings were not significantly different between the different KT-2000 groups.

Conclusion: MR imaging itself is not a reliable examination to predict stability of the ACL rupture outcome, even when the MR images show an intact appearance of the ACL.

Citing Articles

Does an early post traumatic knee brace reduce the incidence of knee rotational instability?.

Murgier J, Duthon V, Deygas A, Ehkirch F Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2024; 144(3):1161-1169.

PMID: 38253710 DOI: 10.1007/s00402-024-05206-8.

Dynamic ultrasonography in the diagnosis of acute anterior cruciate ligament injury - a case report.

Bartoszewicz M J Ultrason. 2021; 21(85):e182-e185.

PMID: 34258045 PMC: 8264813. DOI: 10.15557/JoU.2021.0029.

The correlation between posterior cruciate ligament buckling sign and meniscofemoral ligaments: A radiological study.

Polat A, Acar N, Aybar A, Fidan F, Ozden E, Gurkan O Jt Dis Relat Surg. 2021; 32(2):371-376.

PMID: 34145813 PMC: 8343856. DOI: 10.52312/jdrs.2021.52.

Can magnetic resonance imaging findings predict the degree of knee joint laxity in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction?.

Chang M, Chang C, Choi J, Je M, Kim T BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2014; 15:214.

PMID: 24950603 PMC: 4081463. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2474-15-214.

Methods to diagnose acute anterior cruciate ligament rupture: a meta-analysis of instrumented knee laxity tests.

Van Eck C, Loopik M, van den Bekerom M, Fu F, Kerkhoffs G Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2012; 21(9):1989-97.

PMID: 23073818 DOI: 10.1007/s00167-012-2246-5.

References

Noyes F, MATTHEWS D, Mooar P, Grood E . The symptomatic anterior cruciate-deficient knee. Part II: the results of rehabilitation, activity modification, and counseling on functional disability. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1983; 65(2):163-74. DOI: 10.2106/00004623-198365020-00004. View

Noyes F, Mooar P, MATTHEWS D, Butler D . The symptomatic anterior cruciate-deficient knee. Part I: the long-term functional disability in athletically active individuals. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1983; 65(2):154-62. DOI: 10.2106/00004623-198365020-00003. View

Lee J, Yao L, Phelps C, Wirth C, Czajka J, Lozman J . Anterior cruciate ligament tears: MR imaging compared with arthroscopy and clinical tests. Radiology. 1988; 166(3):861-4. DOI: 10.1148/radiology.166.3.3340785. View

Andersson C, Odensten M, Good L, Gillquist J . Surgical or non-surgical treatment of acute rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament. A randomized study with long-term follow-up. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1989; 71(7):965-74. View

Hefti F, Kress A, Fasel J, Morscher E . Healing of the transected anterior cruciate ligament in the rabbit. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1991; 73(3):373-83. View

Farley T, Howell S, Love K, Wolfe R, Neumann C . Meniscal tears: MR and arthrographic findings after arthroscopic repair. Radiology. 1991; 180(2):517-22. DOI: 10.1148/radiology.180.2.2068321. View

Cheung Y, Magee T, Rosenberg Z, Rose D . MRI of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 1992; 16(1):134-7. View

Yamato M, Yamagishi T . MRI of patellar tendon anterior cruciate ligament autografts. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 1992; 16(4):604-7. DOI: 10.1097/00004728-199207000-00021. View

Tung G, Davis L, Wiggins M, Fadale P . Tears of the anterior cruciate ligament: primary and secondary signs at MR imaging. Radiology. 1993; 188(3):661-7. DOI: 10.1148/radiology.188.3.8351329. View

10.

Ihara H, Miwa M, Deya K, Torisu K . MRI of anterior cruciate ligament healing. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 1996; 20(2):317-21. DOI: 10.1097/00004728-199603000-00029. View

11.

Fujimoto E, Sumen Y, Deie M, Yasumoto M, Kobayashi K, Ochi M . Anterior cruciate ligament graft impingement against the posterior cruciate ligament: diagnosis using MRI plus three-dimensional reconstruction software. Magn Reson Imaging. 2004; 22(8):1125-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2004.08.007. View

12.

Frank C . Ligament structure, physiology and function. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2004; 4(2):199-201. View

13.

Higueras Guerrero V, Torregrosa Andres A, Marti-Bonmati L, Casillas C, Sanfeliu M . Synovialisation of the torn anterior cruciate ligament of the knee: comparison between magnetic resonance and arthroscopy. Eur Radiol. 1999; 9(9):1796-9. DOI: 10.1007/s003300050924. View

14.

Malanga G, Giradi J, Nadler S . The spontaneous healing of a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Clin J Sport Med. 2001; 11(2):118-20. DOI: 10.1097/00042752-200104000-00010. View

15.

Fujimoto E, Sumen Y, Ochi M, Ikuta Y . Spontaneous healing of acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries - conservative treatment using an extension block soft brace without anterior stabilization. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2002; 122(4):212-6. DOI: 10.1007/s00402-001-0387-y. View

16.

Bray R, Leonard C, Salo P . Correlation of healing capacity with vascular response in the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments of the rabbit. J Orthop Res. 2003; 21(6):1118-23. DOI: 10.1016/S0736-0266(03)00078-0. View

17.

von Porat A, Roos E, Roos H . High prevalence of osteoarthritis 14 years after an anterior cruciate ligament tear in male soccer players: a study of radiographic and patient relevant outcomes. Ann Rheum Dis. 2004; 63(3):269-73. PMC: 1754918. DOI: 10.1136/ard.2003.008136. View

18.

Steenbrugge F, Verstraete K, Verdonk R . Magnetic reasonance imaging of the surgically repaired meniscus: a 13-year follow-up study of 13 knees. Acta Orthop Scand. 2004; 75(3):323-7. DOI: 10.1080/00016470410001268. View

19.

Arnoczky S, Rubin R, Marshall J . Microvasculature of the cruciate ligaments and its response to injury. An experimental study in dogs. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1979; 61(8):1221-9. View

20.

Daniel D, Malcom L, LOSSE G, Stone M, Sachs R, Burks R . Instrumented measurement of anterior laxity of the knee. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1985; 67(5):720-6. View