Correlation of MR imaging findings and open exploration of medial patellofemoral ligament injuries in acute patellar dislocations

• Published in: The knee Vol. 9; no. 2; pp. 139 - 143
• Main Authors: Nomura, E., Horiuchi, Y., Inoue, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.05.2002
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Dislocation; Female; Femur - injuries; Femur - pathology; Femur - surgery; Humans; Joint Dislocations - pathology; Joint Dislocations - surgery; Knee Joint - pathology; Knee Joint - surgery; Ligaments, Articular - injuries; Ligaments, Articular - pathology; Ligaments, Articular - surgery; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medial Collateral Ligament, Knee - injuries; Medial Collateral Ligament, Knee - pathology; Medial Collateral Ligament, Knee - surgery; Medial patellofemoral ligament; MRI; Patella; Patellar Ligament - injuries; Patellar Ligament - pathology; Patellar Ligament - surgery; Sensitivity and Specificity; Medial patellofemoral ligament; MRI; Patella; Dislocation
• ISSN: 0968-0160; 1873-5800
• DOI: 10.1016/S0968-0160(02)00002-9

The purpose of this investigation was to correlate magnetic resonance (MR) images of medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) injuries with gross macroscopic findings. Twenty-seven knees with MPFL injury following an initial patellar dislocation were examined using axial proton-density and T2-weighted fast spin-echo MR imaging. MR findings were subsequently correlated with open exploration. MPFL injury was observed in 26 (96%) of the 27 knees. From the MR images, discontinuity, irregularity and/or high-signal intensity changes anterior to the femoral attachment were seen in 13 (82%) of the 16 knees with substantial-tear type injuries of the MPFL. In 8 (80%) of the 10 knees with avulsion-tear type injuries, detachment of the MPFL from the femoral attachment, accompanied with or without high-signal intensity changes, was confirmed. MPFL injury types could be accurately diagnosed on 21 (81%) out of 26 knees using MR imaging. MR imaging was an acceptable method in diagnosing MPFL injury types.