Radiology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Vahey, T. N.
Right arrow Articles by Shelbourne, K. D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Vahey, T. N.
Right arrow Articles by Shelbourne, K. D.

Radiology, Vol 181, 251-253, Copyright © 1991 by Radiological Society of North America

ARTICLES

Acute and chronic tears of the anterior cruciate ligament: differential features at MR imaging

TN Vahey, DR Broome, KJ Kayes and KD Shelbourne
Department of Radiology, Methodist Hospital of Indiana, Indianapolis 46206.

To evaluate the differential features of acute and chronic tears of the anterior cruciate ligament at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, the authors performed a retrospective evaluation of findings in 81 MR examinations correlated with results at arthroscopy. Intact anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs) were present in 29 patients; acute complete ACL tears, in 22; and chronic complete ACL tears, in 30. Acute tears were accurately distinguished from intact ligaments and were characterized by the presence of edema. Chronic tears had a more variable appearance: Nine (30%) were depicted at MR as intact bands with low signal intensity that bridged the expected origin and insertion of the ACL. This appearance is likely due to the presence of bridging fibrous scars within the intercondylar notch. Five of these nine cases were correctly characterized as chronically torn because of the presence of focal angulation. In four of these nine cases the scarred fragments produced a relatively straight band that mimicked an intact ligament. Although chronic and acute ACL tears usually have distinct findings at MR, a chronic tear will occasionally be difficult to distinguish from an intact ligament.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 RadiologyHome page
L. M. White, T. I. Powell, G. Tomlinson, and E. Boynton
Increased Subcortical Patellar Signal Intensity at T2-weighted MR Imaging: A Subacute Finding after Knee Injury
Radiology, September 1, 2005; 236(3): 952 - 957.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 RadiologyHome page
E. H. G. Oei, J. J. Nikken, A. C. M. Verstijnen, A. Z. Ginai, and M. G. Myriam Hunink
MR Imaging of the Menisci and Cruciate Ligaments: A Systematic Review
Radiology, March 1, 2003; 226(3): 837 - 848.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 RadiologyHome page
P. W. J. Vincken, B. P. M. ter Braak, A. R. van Erkell, T. P. W. de Rooy, W. M. C. Mallens, W. Post, and J. L. Bloem
Effectiveness of MR Imaging in Selection of Patients for Arthroscopy of the Knee
Radiology, June 1, 2002; 223(3): 739 - 746.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Roentgenol.Home page
A. Cotten, E. Delfaut, X. Demondion, F. Lapegue, M. Boukhelifa, N. Boutry, P. Chastanet, and F. Gougeon
MR Imaging of the Knee at 0.2 and 1.5 T: Correlation with Surgery
Am. J. Roentgenol., April 1, 2000; 174(4): 1093 - 1097.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
RADIOLOGY RADIOGRAPHICS RSNA JOURNALS ONLINE
Copyright © 1991 by the Radiological Society of North America.