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Reliability and diagnostic accuracy of qualitative evaluation of diffusion-weighted MRI combined with conventional MRI in differentiating between complete and partial anterior cruciate ligament tears

European Radiology volume 23, pages 845–854 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Objectives

To assess the reliability and diagnostic accuracy of qualitative evaluation of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) mapping with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in differentiating between complete and partial anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears.

Methods

This prospective study protocol was approved by the institutional ethics review board and informed consent was obtained from all the patients. Eighty-five patients (35 women and 50 men, mean age 34.1 years) with recent (<4 months) knee trauma with suspected ACL injury underwent conventional MRI (T1-weighted and T2-weighted sequences with fat saturation) associated with ADC mapping. MR images were read qualitatively without and then with ADC mapping by three radiologists, with analysis of direct signs of a traumatic ACL tear and a second-reading. Dynamic X-rays (43 patients) or arthroscopies (42 patients) were used as reference standards.

Results

For complete ACL tear diagnosis (67 patients), sensitivity and specificity were 87% and 50% respectively with conventional MRI, and 96% and 94% respectively with ADC mapping (P < 0.01 for specificity). Inter-observer correlations between musculoskeletal radiologists were almost perfect (κ = 0.81) with ADC mapping and fair with conventional MRI on the second-reading.

Conclusions

ADC mapping associated with conventional MR sequences is a reproducible method to better differentiate complete and partial ACL tears.

Key Points

• MRI is widely used for assessing the problematic knee

• Additional diffusion-weighted sequences help differentiate between complete and partial ACL tears

• DW-MRI for ACL requires a reader-dependent learning curve

• Reliable visualisation of complete ACL tears allows more appropriate management of patients

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Abbreviations

ACL:

Anterior cruciate ligament

DW-MRI:

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging

ADC:

Apparent diffusion coefficient

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Acknowledgments

We thank all the patients who agreed to take part in this study. We also thank Irène Boulloche for her editorial assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Réseau d’Imagerie Médicale Maussins-Nollet, 114 rue Nollet, 75017, Paris, France

    Cyrille Delin, Philippe Thelen & Catherine Radier

  2. Service de Radiologie A, Hôpital Cochin, 27 rue du Faubourg Saint Jacques, 75014, Paris, France

    Stéphane Silvera, Ammar Oudjit & Paul Legmann

  3. Unité de biostatistique et épidémiologie, Hôpital Cochin, 27 rue du Faubourg Saint Jacques, 75014, Paris, France

    Joël Coste

  4. Centre de consultation Nollet, 23 rue Brochant, 75017, Paris, France

    Nicolas Lefevre

  5. Clinique Maussins-Nollet, 67 rue de Romainville, 75019, Paris, France

    François-Paul Ehkirch

  6. Siemens Medical Solutions, 23 boulevard Ornaneau, 93200, Saint Denis, France

    Vincent Le Couls

Authors
  1. Cyrille Delin
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  2. Stéphane Silvera
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  3. Joël Coste
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  4. Philippe Thelen
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  7. Vincent Le Couls
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  8. Ammar Oudjit
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  9. Catherine Radier
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  10. Paul Legmann
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Correspondence to Cyrille Delin.

Appendix

Appendix

Table 5 Sensitivity and specificity analyses with a TELOS threshold ≥ 10 mm
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Delin, C., Silvera, S., Coste, J. et al. Reliability and diagnostic accuracy of qualitative evaluation of diffusion-weighted MRI combined with conventional MRI in differentiating between complete and partial anterior cruciate ligament tears. Eur Radiol 23, 845–854 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-012-2633-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-012-2633-9

Keywords

  • Anterior cruciate ligament
  • MRI
  • Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging
  • Traumatism
  • Complete tear