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Ultrasonographic test for complete anterior cruciate ligament injury

  • Symposium - ACL
  • Published:
Indian Journal of Orthopaedics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background: Although ultrasound (US) has a wide range of applications in orthopedic diagnostics, sonographic evaluation of traumatic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) insufficiency is still inadequate. There is a growing need for diagnostic tests that allow for simple and reliable assessment of ACL instability. This investigation aims to evaluate feasibility of sonographic technique for diagnosing complete ACL insufficiency.

Materials and Methods: Eighty three consecutive patients suspected of ACL injury were examined with sonographic, dynamic test of anterior instability. The translation of the intercondylar eminence against the patellar tendon was measured in the injured and opposite (injured) knee. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging was performed on all patients. Forty-seven of them underwent a further arthroscopy. Five patients have been examined for the 2nd time to evaluate interclass and intraclass agreement and bias.

Results: Complete ACL insufficiency has been confirmed in 37 patients. In those individuals, the total anterior knee translation and the difference between two joints (side-to-side difference) were significantly increased (8.67 mm standard deviation [SD] 2.65 mm in the affected knee versus 2.88 mm SD 1.26 mm in uninjured joint; P < 0.001). Based on a threshold of 2.0 mm for the side-to-side difference and 5.0 mm for the absolute translation, the sonographic test was found to have a sensitivity and specificity of 91.9% and 95.6%, respectively.

Conclusions: The present technique supports the clinician with additional fast and noninvasive diagnostic procedure that can facilitate the evaluation of anterior knee instability.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland

    Marcin Domżalski

  2. Departments of Radiology-Imaging Diagnostic and Orthopedics, Medical University of Lodz, 22 Kopcinskiego Street, 90-159, Lodz, Poland

    Piotr Grzelak, Michał Tomasz Podgórski & Ludomir Stefańczyk

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  1. Piotr Grzelak
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  2. Michał Tomasz Podgórski
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  3. Ludomir Stefańczyk
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Correspondence to Piotr Grzelak.

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Grzelak, P., Podgórski, M.T., Stefańczyk, L. et al. Ultrasonographic test for complete anterior cruciate ligament injury. IJOO 49, 143–149 (2015). https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5413.152432

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5413.152432

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