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Bone bruise patterns in knee injuries: where are they found?
Yuin Cheng Chin1, Ramesh Wijaya, Le Roy Chong
1Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore, chinyuincheng@gmail.com.
Summary
Bone bruises in knee injuries differ based on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) presence. ACL injuries commonly show bruising on the lateral femur and tibia, while non-ACL injuries affect the lateral femur and medial tibia.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Radiology
- Sports Medicine
Background:
- Bone bruises are occult bone lesions causing knee pain.
- Understanding their patterns is crucial for diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence and pattern of bone bruising in knee injuries.
- To compare bone bruising patterns between anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injured and non-ACL injured cohorts.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 710 knee MRIs over six months.
- Identified 88 patients with prior knee injuries.
- Noted injury mechanisms and clinical findings.
Main Results:
- 58 patients had ACL injuries; 30 had non-ACL injuries.
- ACL injuries: common bruising sites were lateral femur (74%) and lateral tibia (64%).
- Non-ACL injuries: common bruising sites were lateral femur (69%) and medial tibia (37%).
Conclusions:
- Bone bruises can cause persistent knee pain.
- Distinct patterns of bone bruising exist with and without ACL injuries.
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