A Prospective Evaluation of Femoral Tunnel Placement for Anatomic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using 3-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 192-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Hart ◽  
Thiru Sivakumaran ◽  
Mark Burman ◽  
Tom Powell ◽  
Paul A. Martineau
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Acl Reconstruction ◽  
Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Anatomic Reconstruction ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
3D Mri ◽  
3 Dimensional ◽  
Anterior Cruciate

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.

The Anterolateral Ligament Has Limited Intrinsic Healing Potential: A Serial, 3-Dimensional–Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Anterior Cruciate Ligament–Injured Knees From the SANTI Study Group

2021 ◽  
pp. 036354652110130
Author(s):  
Adnan Saithna ◽  
Camilo Partezani Helito ◽  
Thais Dutra Vieira ◽  
Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet ◽  
Koichi Muramatsu
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Anterolateral Ligament ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
3D Mri ◽  
3 Dimensional ◽  
Anterior Cruciate

Background: Recent imaging studies demonstrate that the anterolateral ligament (ALL) is frequently injured at the time of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. The intrinsic healing potential of these injuries after ACL reconstruction (ACLR) has not been defined. Purpose/Hypothesis: The primary objective was to evaluate the rate and duration of the healing process of injured ALLs after ACLR using serial 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (3D-MRI). The secondary objective was to investigate whether any patient, injury, or surgical factors influenced the healing rate. The hypothesis was that serial imaging would demonstrate that the ALL has limited healing potential. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Patients enrolled in the study underwent 3D-MRI (slice thickness 0.5 mm) preoperatively and at 1, 6, 12, and 24 months after ACLR. Three observers determined the grade of ALL injury according to the Muramatsu classification. Inter- and intraobserver reliabilities were calculated. The rates of injury and time points for healing were determined. Full healing was defined as a change from a preoperative Muramatsu grade of B or C (indicating partial or complete injury) to grade A (normal). Multivariate analysis was used to investigate the association of aforementioned factors with the risk of incomplete healing. Results: A total of 44 patients were enrolled in the study. Of them, 71.2% had an ALL injury on preoperative imaging. Overall, full healing of ALL injuries occurred at a rate of 3.2%, 15.2%, and 30.3% at 1, 6, and 12 months, respectively. There were no changes in the Muramatsu grade in any patient beyond 12 months postoperatively. None of the complete lesions demonstrated full healing, but the proportion of patients with a grade C injury decreased from 13.6% preoperatively to 4.5% at 12 months due to an improvement to grade B in 4 of 6 patients (66%). Inter- and intraobserver reliabilities of the classification system were almost perfect at 0.81-0.94 and 0.95-1.00, respectively. None of the potential risk factors investigated were predictive of an increased risk of nonhealing. Conclusion: ALL injuries occurred in the majority of ACL-injured knees. They had limited intrinsic healing potential, with only 30.3% healing by 12 months after ACLR. The process of healing took >6 months in half of the patients in whom it occurred. No new cases of full healing occurred beyond 12 months postoperatively. No significant risk factors for failure of full healing to occur were identified, but it is likely that this aspect of the study was underpowered.

scholarly journals Three-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Guiding Tibial and Femoral Tunnel Position in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Cadaveric Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 232596712090991
Author(s):  
Yousef Marwan ◽  
Jens Böttcher ◽  
Carl Laverdière ◽  
Rehana Jaffer ◽  
Mark Burman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
3D Mri ◽  
Tunnel Position ◽  
Median Distance ◽  
Anterior Cruciate ◽  
Mri Measurements

Background: Femoral and tibial tunnel malposition for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) is correlated with higher failure rate. Regardless of the surgical technique used to create ACL tunnels, significant mismatches between the native and reconstructed footprints exist. Purpose: To compare the position of tunnels created by a standard technique with the ones created based on preoperative 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (3D MRI) measurements of the ACL anatomic footprint. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: Using 3D MRI, the native ACL footprints were identified. Tunnels were created on 16 knees (8 cadavers) arthroscopically. On one knee of a matched pair, the tunnels were created based on 3D MRI measurements that were provided to the surgeon (roadmapped technique), while on the contralateral knee, the tunnels were created based on a standard anatomic ACLR technique. The technique was randomly assigned per set of knees. Postoperatively, the positions of the tunnels were measured using 3D MRI. Results: On the tibial side, the median distance between the center of the native and reconstructed ACL footprints in relation to the root of the anterior horn of the lateral meniscus medially was 1.7 ± 2.2 mm and 1.9 ± 2.8 mm for the standard and roadmapped techniques, respectively ( P = .442), while the median anteroposterior distance was 3.4 ± 2.4 mm and 2.5 ± 2.5 mm for the standard and roadmapped techniques, respectively ( P = .161). On the femoral side, the median distance in relation to the apex of the deep cartilage (ADC) distally was 0.9 ± 2.8 mm and 1.3 ± 2.1 mm for the standard and roadmapped techniques, respectively ( P = .195), while the median distance anteriorly from the ADC was 1.2 ± 1.3 mm and 4.6 ± 4.5 mm for the standard and roadmapped techniques, respectively ( P = .007). Conclusion: Providing precise radiological measurements of the ACL footprints does not improve the surgeon’s ability to position the tunnels. Future studies should continue to attempt to provide tools to improve the tunnel position in ACLR. Clinical Relevance: This cadaveric study indicates that despite the use of 3D MRI in understanding the ACL anatomy, re-creating the native ACL footprints remains a challenge.

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 ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Acl Reconstruction ◽  
Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Bone Bruise ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Tibial Bone ◽  
Ramp Lesion ◽  
Anterior Cruciate

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.

scholarly journals Assessment of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Graft Maturity With Conventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Systematic Literature Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 232596711984901 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pieter Van Dyck ◽  
Katja Zazulia ◽  
Céline Smekens ◽  
Christiaan H.W. Heusdens ◽  
Thomas Janssens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Acl Reconstruction ◽  
Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Acl Graft ◽  
Conventional Mri ◽  
Anterior Cruciate

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.

The Role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Diagnosing Soft Tissue Lesions Associated with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (9) ◽  
pp. 2498-2500
Author(s):  
Bogdan Sendrea ◽  
Antoine Edu ◽  
George Viscopoleanu
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Traumatic Event ◽  
Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Soft Tissue Injuries ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Soft Tissue Lesions ◽  
Anterior Cruciate

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.

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