Correlation of Notch Configuration between Subjects with and Subjects without Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

Hyung Kan Kim; Dong Kyu Moon; Ji Yong Gwark; Dae Cheol Nam; Dong Hee Kim; Sun Chul Hwang

doi:10.4055/jkoa.2013.48.6.457

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Kim, Moon, Gwark, Nam, Kim, and Hwang: Correlation of Notch Configuration between Subjects with and Subjects without Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association 2013; 48(6): 457-463.

Published online: 26 December 2013

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4055/jkoa.2013.48.6.457

Correlation of Notch Configuration between Subjects with and Subjects without Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

Hyung Kan Kim, M.D., Dong Kyu Moon, M.D., Ji Yong Gwark, M.D., Dae Cheol Nam, M.D., Dong Hee Kim, M.D., Sun Chul Hwang, M.D., Ph.D.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea.

Correspondence to: Sun Chul Hwang, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, 79 Gangnam-ro, Jinju 660-702, Korea. TEL: +82-55-750-8102, FAX: +82-55-761-9477, hscspine@hanmail.net

Received 18 January 2013 Revised 15 March 2013 Accepted 24 September 2013

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the 3-dimensional (D) notch volume and the 2D notch width and notch shape as measured on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), between subjects with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and those without ACL injury.

Materials and Methods

Knee MRI images were taken from 72 subjects with ACL injury and 80 subjects without ACL injury (January 2007 to January 2012; Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Jinju, Korea). We measured 3D notch volume and 2D notch width and notch shape. The measured values from MRI figures between ACL-injured subjects and non-ACL-injured subjects were compared and analyzed. These measurements (notch width, notch ratio) were correlated to notch volume. Both intra-observer reliability and inter-observer reliability were calculated.

Results

Notch width differed significantly between ACL injured subjects and non-injured subjects (p<0.001), while no significant differences in notch volume and notch shape were observed between the groups (male: p=0.43, female: p=0.22).

Conclusion

The results of this study might suggest that certain 2D measurements (notch width) of the notch could be better than notch volume for prediction of ACL rupture risk.

Keywords: knee, intercondylar notch, anterior cruciate ligament

Figures and Tables

Figure 1

T2-weighted axial images, The borders of the notch are outlined. The posterior border of the notch: a line between the two points on the inside of the femoral condyles where the cartilage ends. (A) First image with both femoral condyles visible, as indicated by the articular cartilage. (B) Last image with continuity between the medial and lateral femoral condyles. The notch volume is calculated by summation of the area of all images within the defined femoral notch and multiplication by the slice thickness (3 mm).

Figure 2

T1-weighted coronal image. A line is shown along the most inferior part of the femoral condyles and a line parallel to this line at an intermediate image among those obtained where the popliteal grooves can be seen, where the notch width was measured.

Figure 3

T2-weighted axial image, Measurement of the length of the base and height of the intercondylar notch at the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) origin, ratio (height/base) was performed.

Table 1

Notch Morphometry Differences in ACL-Injured and Non-Injured Subjects

Values are presented as number or mean±standard deviation. p<0.05 was found to be significant. ACL, anterior cruciate ligament.

Table 2

Pearson Correlation Coefficient between Notch Width, Notch Ratio and Notch Volume, including Significance Level

p<0.05 was found to be significant.

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