MRI evaluation to predict tendon size for knee ligament reconstruction

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Radiology
• Anatomy

Background:

• Assessing the relationship between anthropometric factors and knee tendon dimensions is crucial for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.
• Predicting graft size using clinical and radiological measurements can optimize surgical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between specific anthropometric parameters and the sizes of knee tendons used in ACL reconstruction.
• To determine if clinical and radiological knee measurements are better predictors of tendon size than traditional anthropometric data.

Main Methods:

• 100 patients underwent knee MRI (1.5 T).
• Anthropometric data (gender, height, weight, BMI, knee circumference) were collected.
• MRI measurements included patellar tendon (PT) and quadriceps tendon (QT) thickness and length, semitendinosus (ST) and gracilis (GR) tendon diameters, and patellar and intercondylar width.

Main Results:

• Male patients exhibited larger ST diameter, QT thickness, and PT thickness compared to females.
• Patellar and intercondylar width were greater in males.
• Weak correlations were found between anthropometric data and tendon dimensions (ST, PT, QT).
• Moderate correlations were observed between intercondylar/patellar width and PT thickness, PT length, and ST diameter.

Conclusions:

• Knee joint width (patellar and intercondylar) shows a moderate correlation with PT thickness, PT length, and ST diameter.
• Weak correlations exist between general anthropometric data and key tendon measurements.
• These findings can assist surgeons in preoperative planning for graft selection and sizing in ACL reconstruction.