The MRI diagnosis of the anterior cruciate ligament injuries and associated lesions

Abstract

Objectives. The purpose of this paper is to identify the traumatic lesions of the anterior cruciate ligament, as well as the associate osteo-meniscal- ligamentous lesions.
Material and Methods. We have made a retrospective study on a plot of 1080 patients between January 2007 and December 2008 with trauma injuries of the knee. The magnetic resonance machine used is Siemens, Magnetom, Harmony 1T.
Results. Of the 1080 patients from our study, 912 patients (84,4%) were diagnosed through MRI with ACL injuries, 648 patients (71,1%) with partial ACL rupture and 264 patients (28,9%) with ACL tear. The ACL injuries were associated with bony contusions (osteochondral lesions and bone marrow edema) at: the tibia plateau (81,6%), the lateral (57,9%) and the medial femoral condyle (52,6%); with medial collateral ligament injury (50%) and lateral collateral ligament injury (36,8%), as well as lateral (47,4%) and medial (42,1%) meniscus injury. The PCL was injured in a very small percentage of 2,45%, due to its strength and structure.
Conclusions. After knee trauma ACL injuries appear frequently. Most of the ACL injuries are partial tears; the torn ACLs aren’t as frequent. The ACL injuries are often associated with bony contusions, especially in the lateral femoral condyle and in the postero-lateral tibia plateau, with MCL injuries and torn lateral meniscus.

Key words:

anterior cruciate ligament, bone marrow edema, knee, trauma.