Changes in the T2 relaxation value of the tibiofemoral articular cartilage about 6 months after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the double-bundle technique.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate T2 relaxation values (T2RVs) of knee joint cartilage after double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (DB-ACLR) in a 6-month follow-up and to correlate changes between T2RVs with meniscal status and clinical findings.

METHODS

27 patients who underwent DB-ACLR and MRI before and 6 months after surgery, and 27 control subjects were enrolled. We compared T2RVs of the control vs pre-operative MR and pre-operative vs post-operative MR using 28 subcompartments, including superficial and deep layers. Correlations between T2RV changes with meniscal status and clinical data were examined.

RESULTS

The pre-operative T2RV was significantly higher than that of the control group in the medial tibia (posterior-superficial), posterior medial femur (superficial) and posterior lateral femur (superficial and deep). The post-operative T2RV was significantly higher than that of pre-operative T2RV in the posterior medial femur (superficial), medial tibia (anterior-deep and central-deep), lateral femur (anterior-deep, anterior-superficial and central-superficial) and posterior medial femur (deep). Moderate positive correlations between pre-operative and post-operative T2RV changes were found at the posterior medial femur (interval between injury and MR examination, and instability) and posterior lateral femur (Lysholm score).

CONCLUSION

Patients with anterior cruciate ligament injury followed by DB-ACLR presented short-term subcompartment T2RV changes at the medial femur, lateral femur and medial tibia. Meniscal status did not affect T2RV; however, clinical findings influenced T2RV at the posterior grooves of the medial and lateral femoral condyles.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: Patients submitted to DB-ACLR presented T2RV changes in both femoral and medial tibial condyles 6 months after the surgery, affecting not just the weight-bearing areas, but also the less-weight-bearing areas.