title: Correlation of intra-articular osseous measurements with posterior cruciate ligament length on MRI scans.
abstract: Six patients with a clinical diagnosis of chronic posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) rupture, based on a positive posterior drawer test, had a normal appearance of the PCL on an MRI scan. It is postulated that the PCL had been ruptured but healed in a lengthened state. 12 volunteers with no history of knee trauma underwent an MRI scan of the knee. In this control group (n = 12), there was a close correlation between the lateral femoral condylar width in the sagittal plane and the PCL length, with a ratio of 2:1 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.817-2.095). In the clinically abnormal group (n = 6), the ratio was 1.49:1 (95% CI = 1.206-1.782) (p< 0.0005). In conclusion, the ratio of the lateral femoral condylar width in the sagittal plane to the PCL length is a useful index for diagnosing PCL attenuation and lengthening in the presence of a normal morphological MR appearance.
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown, Dublin, Republic of Ireland. sajjadho@yahoo.com
authors: S H
authors: SH
authors: Orakzai
authors: C M
authors: CM
authors: Egan
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Eustace
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Kenny
authors: S J
authors: SJ
authors: O'flanagan
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Keogh
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D005269:Femur / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D016119:Posterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012421:Rupture / Q000473:pathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity