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Quantitative and qualitative MR‐imaging assessment of vastus medialis muscle volume loss in asymptomatic patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
Author(s) -
Marcon Magda,
Ciritsis Bernhard,
Laux Christoph,
Nanz Daniel,
Fischer Michael A.,
Andreisek Gustav,
Ulbrich Erika J.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/jmri.24777
Subject(s) - asymptomatic , vastus medialis , medicine , anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction , atrophy , magnetic resonance imaging , anterior cruciate ligament , prospective cohort study , muscle atrophy , nuclear medicine , anatomy , radiology , surgery , electromyography , physical medicine and rehabilitation
Background : To quantitatively and qualitatively assess vastus medialis muscle atrophy in asymptomatic patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, using the nonoperated leg as control. Methods : Prospective Institutional Review Board approved study with written informed patient consent. Thirty‐three asymptomatic patients (men, 21; women,12) with ACL‐reconstruction underwent MR imaging of both legs (axial T1‐weighted spin‐echo and 3D spoiled dual gradient‐echo sequences). Muscle volume and average fat‐signal fraction (FSF) of the vastus medialis muscles were measured. Additionally, Goutallier classification was used to classify fatty muscle degeneration. Significant side differences were evaluated using the Wilcoxon test and, between volumes and FSF, using student t‐tests with P ‐value < 0.05 and < 0.025, respectively. Results : The muscle volume was significantly smaller in the operated (mean ± SD, 430.6 ± 119.6 cm 3 ; range, 197.3 to 641.7 cm 3 ) than in the nonoperated leg (479.5 ± 124.8 cm 3 ; 261.4 to 658.9 cm 3 ) ( P < 0.001). Corresponding FSF was 6.3 ± 1.5% (3.9 to 9.2%) and 5.8 ± 0.9% (4.0 to 7.4%), respectively, with a nonsignificant ( P > 0.025) difference. The relative muscle‐volume and FSF differences were −10.1 ± 8.6% (7.1 to −30.1%) and 10.9 ± 29.4% (39.7 to 40.1%). The qualitative assessment revealed no significant differences ( P > 0.1). Conclusion : A significant muscle volume loss of the vastus medialis muscle does exist in asymptomatic patients with ACL‐reconstruction, but without fatty degeneration. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;42:515–525.