Anterior Translation of the Tibia at MR Imaging as a Predictor of Degree of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear
Introduction: The ACL is the most common ligament of the knee to be injured. Numerous mechanisms of ACL injuries have been described. Aim: To determine whether the degree of anterior translation of tibia correlates with the degree of anterior cruciate ligament tear. Materials and Methods: It w...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
JCDR Research and Publications Pvt. Ltd.
2018-07-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Anatomy Radiology and Surgery |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ijars.net/article_fulltext.asp?issn=0973-709x&year=2018&month=July&volume=7&issue=3&page=RO12-RO16&id=2402 |
| Summary: | Introduction: The ACL is the most common ligament of
the knee to be injured. Numerous mechanisms of ACL
injuries have been described.
Aim: To determine whether the degree of anterior
translation of tibia correlates with the degree of anterior
cruciate ligament tear.
Materials and Methods: It was a retrospective study
done on 108 patients with intact ACL, 39 patients with
partial ACL tears and 66 patients with complete ACL tears
at MR imaging. Mid sagittal plane of the lateral femoral
condyle was used to measure the anterior tibial translation
with regard to a plane parallel to the cephalocaudal axis
of the image. The degree of anterior tibial translation was
then analysed in different groups using SPSS statistical
software.
Results: The mean anterior translation in patients with
complete tear was 5.95±0.81. In patients with partial
tears it was 3.92±1.29 and in those with intact ACL it
was 2.79±0.54. Anterior translation of 5 mm or more had
56% sensitivity, 80% specificity for a complete ACL tear.
Unpaired-t test analysis showed highly significant statistical
difference (p<0.0001) between the degree of anterior
tibial translation in patients with complete ACL tear and
those with intact ACL.There was no statistically significant
difference between the anterior translation in patients with
intact ACL and in those with partial tears (p=0.36).
Conclusion: Anterior translation of the tibia serves as a
secondary sign to identify complete ACL tears only when
the ACL is not visualised in its entirety in a single sagittal
section. This sign is not specific for partial ACL tears and
is significant only in complete ACL tears. The degree of
anterior translation of tibia at MR imaging correlates with
the degree of anterior cruciate ligament tear and hence
can be used as a predictor of the degree of tear. |
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| ISSN: | 2277-8543 2455-6874 |