Imaging features of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction graft insufficiency / 中华放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo investigate the imaging features of anterior cruciate ligament(ACL) graft insufficiency.Methods X-Ray and MR imaging examinations in 24 consecutive patients who had ACL reconstructive graft insufficiency were retrospectively evaluated for tunnel position,osteoarthrosis and its related complications.Follow-up arthroscopy showed 16 graft tears and 8 graft laxities.Fisher exact test was used to compare tunnel malpositions,the proportion of graft tear on MRI and osteoarthrosis between graft tear group and graft laxity group.ResultsTwo malpositions of tibial tunnel and 3 malpositions of femoral tunnel were seen in graft tear group.Three-malpositions of tibial tunnel and 4 malpositions of femoral tunnel were seen in graft laxity group.The proportion of tibial or femoral malposition showed no significant difference between the two groups(P =0.289,P =0.167).In graft tear group,15 complete graft tears were diagnosed correctly,1 partial tear was misdiagnosed as normal on MRI.In graft laxity group,4 grafts were diagnosed as normal and 4 were considered as graft tear on MRI.A significant difference was seen between the two groups (P = 0.028) in the proportion of graft tear diagnosed on MRI.Fourteen osteoarthrosis were seen in graft tear group and 5 in graft laxity group.No significant difference was seen between the two groups ( P =0.289) in the proportion of esteoarthrosis.Conclusion The proportions of tunnel malposition and osteoarthrosis showed no significant difference between the graft tear group and graft laxity group.Most graft tears can be diagnosed accurately on MRI,but some cases of graft laxity may be misdiagnosed for graft tear.