Incidence and Detection of Meniscal Ramp Lesions on Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (10) ◽  
pp. 2233-2237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas N. DePhillipo ◽  
Mark E. Cinque ◽  
Jorge Chahla ◽  
Andrew G. Geeslin ◽  
Lars Engebretsen ◽  
...  

Background: Meniscal ramp lesions have been reported to be present in 9% to 17% of patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Detection at the time of arthroscopy can be accomplished based on clinical suspicion and careful evaluation. Preoperative assessment via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been reported to have a low sensitivity in identifying meniscal ramp lesions. Purpose: To investigate the incidence of meniscal ramp lesions in patients with ACL tears and the sensitivity of preoperative MRI for the detection of ramp lesions. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: All patients who underwent ACL reconstruction by a single surgeon between 2010 and 2016 were included in this study, and patients with medial meniscal ramp lesions found at the time of arthroscopy were identified. The sensitivity of MRI compared with the gold standard of arthroscopic evaluation was determined by review of the preoperative MRI musculoskeletal radiologist report, mimicking the clinical scenario. The incidence was calculated based on arthroscopic findings, and the potential secondary signs of meniscal ramp tears were evaluated on MRI. Results: In a consecutive series of 301 ACL reconstructions, 50 patients (33 male, 17 female) with a mean age of 29.6 years (range, 14-61 years) were diagnosed with a medial meniscal ramp lesion at arthroscopic evaluation (16.6% incidence). The sensitivity of MRI for ramp lesions was 48% based on the preoperative MRI report. A secondary finding of a posteromedial tibial bone bruise was identified on preoperative MRI in 36 of the 50 patients with ramp lesions in a retrospective MRI review by 2 orthopaedic surgeons. Conclusion: Medial meniscal ramp lesions were present in approximately 17% of 301 patients undergoing ACL reconstruction, and less than one-half were diagnosed on the preoperative MRI. A posteromedial tibial bone bruise was found to be a secondary sign of a ramp lesion in 72% of patients. Increased awareness of this potentially combined injury pattern is necessary, and careful intraoperative evaluation is required to identify all meniscal ramp tears.

2021 ◽  
pp. 194173812110295
Author(s):  
Patrick Ward ◽  
Peter Chang ◽  
Logan Radtke ◽  
Robert H. Brophy

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are common injuries; they are often associated with concomitant injuries to other structures in the knee, including bone bruises. While there is limited evidence that bone bruises are associated with slightly worse clinical outcomes, the implications of bone bruises for the articular cartilage and the risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA) in the knee are less clear. Recent studies suggest that the bone bruise pattern may be helpful in predicting the presence of meniscal ramp lesions. Evidence Acquisition: A literature review was performed in EMBASE using the keyword search phrase (acl OR (anterior AND cruciate AND ligament)) AND ((bone AND bruise) OR (bone AND contusion) OR (bone AND marrow AND edema) OR (bone AND marrow AND lesion) OR (subchondral AND edema)). Study Design: Clinical review. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Results: The literature search returned 93 articles of which 25 were ultimately included in this review. Most studies identified a high prevalence of bone bruises in the setting of acute ACL injury. Individual studies have found relationships between bone bruise volume and functional outcomes; however, these results were not supported by systematic review. Similarly, the literature has contradictory findings on the relationship between bone bruises and the progression of OA after ACL reconstruction. Investigations into concomitant injury found anterolateral ligament and meniscal ramp lesions to be associated with bone bruise presence on magnetic resonance imaging. Conclusion: Despite the ample literature identifying the prevalence of bone bruises in association with ACL injury, there is little evidence to correlate bone bruises to functional outcomes or progression of OA. Bone bruises may best be used as a marker for concomitant injury such as medial meniscal ramp lesions that are not always well visualized on magnetic resonance imaging. Further research is required to establish the longitudinal effects of bone bruises on ACL tear recovery. Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy: 2.


1998 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 409-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darren L. Johnson ◽  
William P. Urban ◽  
David N. M. Caborn ◽  
William J. Vanarthos ◽  
Cathy S. Carlson

Occult osteochondral lesions (bone bruises) have been documented on magnetic resonance images in more than 80% of patients sustaining acute anterior cruciate ligament ruptures. Despite the high prevalence of these lesions, little is known about the histologic changes in the adjacent articular cartilage. Ten patients with acute anterior cruciate ligament ruptures who had a preoperatively documented (by magnetic resonance imaging) geographic bone bruise at the sulcus terminalis on the lateral femoral condyle underwent a 3-mm diameter trephine biopsy of the articular cartilage and subchondral bone overlying the bone bruise at the time of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Biopsy samples of the articular cartilage and subchondral bone were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and toluidine blue. All patients had significant arthroscopic and histologic articular cartilage irregularity in the area overlying the bone bruise. Arthroscopic findings of the articular cartilage included softening (dimpling), fissuring, or overt chondral fracture. Histologic examination revealed degeneration of the chondrocytes and loss of toluidine blue staining in the articular cartilage (loss of proteoglycan). There was necrosis of osteocytes in the subchondral bone, and empty lacuna were visible. This study defines the exact histologic changes of the articular cartilage overlying a geographic bone bruise secondary to an acute anterior cruciate ligament tear. Our findings suggest that a geographic bone bruise found on magnetic resonance imaging indicates substantial damage to normal articular cartilage homeostasis.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 232596711984901 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pieter Van Dyck ◽  
Katja Zazulia ◽  
Céline Smekens ◽  
Christiaan H.W. Heusdens ◽  
Thomas Janssens ◽  
...  

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal intensity (SI) measurements are being used increasingly in both clinical and research studies to assess the maturity of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) grafts in humans. However, SI in conventional MRI with weighted images is a nonquantitative measure dependent on hardware and software. Purpose: To conduct a systematic review of studies that have used MRI SI as a proxy for ACL graft maturity and to identify potential confounding factors in assessing the ACL graft in conventional MRI studies. Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A systematic review was conducted by searching the MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library electronic databases according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines to identify studies that examined the healing of the intra-articular portion of the ACL graft by assessing SI on MRIs. Results: A total of 34 studies were selected for inclusion in this systematic review. The MRI acquisition techniques and methods to evaluate the ACL graft SI differed greatly across the studies. No agreement was found regarding the time frames of SI changes in MRI reflecting normal healing of the ACL tendon graft, and the graft SI and clinical outcomes after ACL reconstruction were found to be poorly correlated. Conclusion: The MRI acquisition and evaluation methods used to assess ACL grafts are very heterogeneous, impeding comparisons of SI between successive scans and between independent studies. Therefore, quantitative MRI-based biomarkers of ACL graft healing are greatly needed to guide the appropriate time of returning to sports after ACL reconstruction.


2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 192-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Hart ◽  
Thiru Sivakumaran ◽  
Mark Burman ◽  
Tom Powell ◽  
Paul A. Martineau

Background: The recent emphasis on anatomic reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is well supported by clinical and biomechanical research. Unfortunately, the location of the native femoral footprint can be difficult to see at the time of surgery, and the accuracy of current techniques to perform anatomic reconstruction is unclear. Purpose: To use 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (3D MRI) to prospectively evaluate patients with torn ACLs before and after reconstruction and thereby assess the accuracy of graft position on the femoral condyle. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Forty-one patients with unilateral ACL tears were recruited into the study. Each patient underwent 3D MRI of both the injured and uninjured knees before surgery. The contralateral (uninjured) knee was used to define the patient’s native footprint. Patients then underwent ACL reconstruction, and the injured knee underwent reimaging after surgery. The location and percentage overlap of the reconstructed femoral footprint were compared with the patient’s native footprint. Results: The center of the native ACL femoral footprint was a mean 12.0 ± 2.6 mm distal and 9.3 ± 2.2 mm anterior to the apex of the deep cartilage. The position of the reconstructed graft was significantly different, with a mean distance of 10.8 ± 2.2 mm distal ( P = .02) and 8.0 ± 2.3 mm anterior ( P = .01). The mean distance between the center of the graft and the center of the native ACL femoral footprint (error distance) was 3.6 ± 2.6 mm. Comparing error distances among the 4 surgeons demonstrated no significant difference ( P = .10). On average, 67% of the graft overlapped within the native ACL femoral footprint. Conclusion: Despite contemporary techniques and a concerted effort to perform anatomic ACL reconstruction by 4 experienced sports orthopaedic surgeons, the position of the femoral footprint was significantly different between the native and reconstructed ACLs. Furthermore, each surgeon used a different technique, but all had comparable errors in their tunnel placements.


2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (9) ◽  
pp. 2498-2500
Author(s):  
Bogdan Sendrea ◽  
Antoine Edu ◽  
George Viscopoleanu

Magnetic resonance imaging has become the gold standard for soft tissue lesions evaluation especially after a traumatic event where there is need for diagnostic confirmation. The objective of the current paper was to evaluate the ability of magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosing soft tissue lesions in patients who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction compared with arthroscopic findings. Through the ability to diagnose soft tissue injuries, particularly meniscal lesions, magnetic resonance imaging should be considered as fundamental in guiding therapeutic management in patients with anterior cruciate ligament lesions.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document