Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2016 Jun;9(2):123-9.
doi: 10.1007/s12178-016-9340-0.

Functional knee assessment with advanced imaging

Keiko Amano  1 , Qi Li  1   2 , C Benjamin Ma  3
Affiliations
Review

Functional knee assessment with advanced imaging

Keiko Amano et al. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2016 Jun.

Abstract

The purpose of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is to restore the native stability of the knee joint and to prevent further injury to meniscus and cartilage, yet studies have suggested that joint laxity remains prevalent in varying degrees after ACL reconstruction. Imaging can provide measurements of translational and rotational motions of the tibiofemoral joint that may be too small to detect in routine physical examinations. Various imaging modalities, including fluoroscopy, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have emerged as powerful methods in measuring the minute details involved in joint biomechanics. While each technique has its own strengths and limitations, they have all enhanced our understanding of the knee joint under various stresses and movements. Acquiring the knowledge of the complex and dynamic motions of the knee after surgery would help lead to improved surgical techniques and better patient outcomes.

Keywords: ACL; Advanced imaging; Anterior cruciate ligament; Knee assessment; Knee joint; Reconstruction.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
3D cloud points are generated from semi-automatic segmentations on T2 FSE images to generate a 3D representation of the tibia. Image courtesy of Musculoskeletal Quantitative Imaging Research, University of California, San Francisco
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Color map of T1ρ relaxation times which correlate with proteoglycan content within the articular cartilage. Image courtesy of Musculoskeletal Quantitative Imaging Research, University of California, San Francisco
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Left image shows high-resolution 3D FSE showing meniscus tear in the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus. Right image shows T1ρ-weighted image shows a color map overlay of T1ρ relaxation times corresponding to the tear. Image courtesy of Musculoskeletal Quantitative Imaging Research, University of California, San Francisco
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Musahl V, Kopf S, Rabuck S, et al. Rotatory knee laxity tests and the pivot shift as tools for ACL treatment algorithm. Knee Surg Sport Traumatol Arthrosc. 2012;20(4):793–800. doi: 10.1007/s00167-011-1857-6. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Tsoukas D, Fotopoulos V, Basdekis G, Makridis KG. No difference in osteoarthritis after surgical and non-surgical treatment of ACL-injured knees after 10 years. Knee Surg Sport Traumatol Arthrosc. 2015;(3). doi:10.1007/s00167-015-3593-9. - PubMed
    1. Ramski DE, Kanj WW, Franklin CC, Baldwin KD, Ganley TJ. Anterior cruciate ligament tears in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis of nonoperative versus operative treatment. Am J Sports Med. 2013:1–8. doi:10.1177/0363546513510889. - PubMed
    1. Chalmers PN, Mall NA, Moric M. Does ACL reconstruction alter natural history? a systematic literature review of long-term outcomes. J Bone Jt Surg. 2014;96(4):292–300. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.L.01713. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Dare D, Rodeo S. Mechanisms of post-traumatic osteoarthritis after ACL injury. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2014;16(10):448. doi: 10.1007/s11926-014-0448-1. - DOI - PubMed