[Postoperative MRI morphology of the anterior cruciate ligament after primary ligament suture or ligament-plasty. A prospective study of 50 patients].
OBJECTIVE
Identification of typical postoperative change after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (sutures, tendon grafts) and comparison with clinical tests and ultrasound.


METHODS
50 patients with anterior cruciate ligament ruptures were examinated with MRI (1.0 T, surface coil, sagittal T1-3DFT-Fast and sagittal spin-echo), US and clinical function tests (Lachmann, pivot-shift, anterior drawer test).


RESULTS
In 19 of 21 patients with continuous low-intensity ligament structures in the MRI, knee stability was very good or good in the clinical tests and US. In 17 of 20 patients with a diagnosis of partial rupture at MRI, we also found a stable knee. 5 of 7 patients with the MRI-signs of ligament rupture showed knee stability at US and clinical tests. Furthermore, at MRI we found minor effusions in 10 patients, meniscus tears in 8 patients and ligament impingement in 2 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
MRI is a valuable method for evaluating and assessing anterior ligament reconstructions. We found a good correlation between the continuous low-intensity ligaments at MRI and knee-stability. In contrast there is a bad correlation between discontinuous ligament structures at MRI and clinical stability of the knee. MRI seems to provide more information than US and clinical tests (for example: minor effusion, meniscus tears, ligament impingement, bone lesions).
Uhl
M
M
Abt. Radiodiagnostik Chirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik, Universitätsklinik Heidelberg.
Schmidt
C
C
Riedl
S
S
Brado
M
M
Kauffmann
G W
GW
Friedl
W
W
D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013709:Tendon Transfer; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology