Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Reconstructed Anterior Cruciate Ligament

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed in 28 patients with clinically stable knees after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using rolled-iliotibial tract autograft. MR imaging evaluations were done with a O. S. T whoiebody system (Philips, Gyroscan). In the obliyue-sagittal plane, parallel to the ACL, proton density, T1-and T2-weighted images were obtained using a spin echo sequence. The interval from surgery to MR imaging was a mean of 27 months (range 12-48 months). MR image findings of each reconstructed-ACL were categorised depending on the shape (straight, curved), on the clarity (well-defined, ill-defined, and vague), and on the homogeneity (homogenceous, massive-inhomogeneous, and lincar-inhomogeneous).None of the ACL grafts were indisceinible. All MR images were classified into 8 groups. The “Straight well-defined, Iincar-inhomogeneous” type of MR image (8 patients, 29%) was the most commonly reported, but in general MR imaging of the reconstructed-ACL demonstrated a variable appearance.We believe that the signal intensity of MR imaging was of little value in detecting the quality of the reconstructed-ACL graft using the rolled-iliotibial tract.