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MRI-based ACL graft maturity does not predict clinical and functional outcomes during the first year after ACL reconstruction

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

To determine whether magnetic resonance image (MRI)-based graft maturity predicts clinical and functional scores during the first year after ACL reconstruction.

Methods

Patients with unilateral ACL reconstruction were prospectively invited to participate in this study, and they were examined using a 3.0-T MRI scan at 3, 6, and 12 months after the operation. Clinical examinations were performed on the same day, including subjective functional examinations, physical examinations and the KT-1000 test. MRI measurements were focused on the graft signal intensity of the ACL graft using the signal/noise quotient value from a region of interest analysis.

Results

Finally, a total of 38 participants with ACL reconstruction were recruited for this study, including 21 with autograft tendons and 17 with allograft tendons. Generally, the signal/noise quotient values of the ACL grafts increased from 3 to 6 months and then decreased from 6 to 12 months. There was no significant association between graft signal/noise quotient value and IKDC, Lysholm, or Tegner scores at each time point. Graft signal/noise quotient value had a significant positive association with ATTD for the cohort (p = 0.002) and for the autograft group (p = 0.004) at 3 months. However, there was no significant association between graft signal/noise quotient value and ATTD at 6 or 12 months, respectively.

Conclusion

The MRI-based graft maturity does not have the ability to predict clinical and functional outcomes in patients at the first-year follow-up. Graft maturity should not be used as an objective test to determine the appropriate time to return to sports during the first year after ACL reconstruction. The results from this study will allow clinicians to determine graft-specific health to determine whether the graft is healed enough to return to sports during the first postoperative year.

Level of evidence

III.

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Acknowkledgments

This work was supported by the National 863 Hi-tech Project (2015AA033703), National Natural Science Foundation of China (81271958, 81572108, 81370052, 81401812) and Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education (No. 20120071110067).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sports Medicine, Huashan Hospital, No 12, Wulumuqi Zhong Road, Shanghai, 200040, China

    Hong Li, Jiwu Chen, Hongyun Li, Ziying Wu & Shiyi Chen

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  1. Hong Li
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  2. Jiwu Chen
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Correspondence to Shiyi Chen.

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Li, H., Chen, J., Li, H. et al. MRI-based ACL graft maturity does not predict clinical and functional outcomes during the first year after ACL reconstruction. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 25, 3171–3178 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-016-4252-5

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