title: MRI study of the ACL in children and adolescents.
abstract: Reconstruction of the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) requires precise anatomical placement of the tendon graft. Anatomic variations may increase/decrease risk of the ACL rupture. Twenty-eight children with clinical, MRI and arthroscopic verified ACL ruptures were compared with match case control group. MRI was done one to 12 months after trauma. The thresholds values for identifying the ACL rupture were set; ACL angle < 45 degrees, Blumensat angle > 0 degrees, and the PCL angle < 115 degrees.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference of tibial attachment for the ACL and measured parameters of the femur. The ACL angle (p < 0.001), the Blumensat angle (p = 0.001), and the PCL angle (p < 0.001) were significantly different. Each of the patients in group with a torn ACL had at least one parameter positive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ACL angle, Blumensat angle and PCL angle might help to diagnose ruptured ACL. Pediatric patients with the ruptured ACL show no difference in notch width or the tibial roof inclination angle as compared with pediatric patients without ACL rupture.
authors.affiliation: University of Zagreb, "Merkur" University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia. ivancvjetko@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cvjetko
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dovzak
authors.forename: Tihomir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Banić
authors.forename: Bore
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bakota
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Borić
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*