Marcon M, Ciritsis B, Laux C, Nanz D, Fischer MA, Andreisek G, Ulbrich EJ. Quantitative and qualitative MR-imaging assessment of vastus medialis muscle volume loss in asymptomatic patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
J Magn Reson Imaging 2014;
42:515-25. [PMID:
25446958 DOI:
10.1002/jmri.24777]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2014] [Accepted: 09/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
To quantitatively and qualitatively assess vastus medialis muscle atrophy in asymptomatic patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, using the nonoperated leg as control.
METHODS
Prospective Institutional Review Board approved study with written informed patient consent. Thirty-three asymptomatic patients (men, 21; women,12) with ACL-reconstruction underwent MR imaging of both legs (axial T1-weighted spin-echo and 3D spoiled dual gradient-echo sequences). Muscle volume and average fat-signal fraction (FSF) of the vastus medialis muscles were measured. Additionally, Goutallier classification was used to classify fatty muscle degeneration. Significant side differences were evaluated using the Wilcoxon test and, between volumes and FSF, using student t-tests with P-value < 0.05 and < 0.025, respectively.
RESULTS
The muscle volume was significantly smaller in the operated (mean ± SD, 430.6 ± 119.6 cm(3) ; range, 197.3 to 641.7 cm(3) ) than in the nonoperated leg (479.5 ± 124.8 cm(3) ; 261.4 to 658.9 cm(3) ) (P < 0.001). Corresponding FSF was 6.3 ± 1.5% (3.9 to 9.2%) and 5.8 ± 0.9% (4.0 to 7.4%), respectively, with a nonsignificant (P > 0.025) difference. The relative muscle-volume and FSF differences were -10.1 ± 8.6% (7.1 to -30.1%) and 10.9 ± 29.4% (39.7 to 40.1%). The qualitative assessment revealed no significant differences (P > 0.1).
CONCLUSION
A significant muscle volume loss of the vastus medialis muscle does exist in asymptomatic patients with ACL-reconstruction, but without fatty degeneration.
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