Signal intensity changes in anterior cruciate ligament autografts: relation to magnetic field orientation.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to use magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to investigate the contribution of graft alignment to changes in signal intensity in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) autografts.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty patients who had undergone reconstruction of the ACL with an autograft underwent MR examinations of the knee in extension and flexion. The signal intensity of the intratibial bone tunnel and intraarticular portions of ACL graft were measured, and signal intensity ratios were defined by dividing the mean signal intensity of the graft by the mean signal intensity of the fatty marrow. The angles from the intraarticular and intratibial bone tunnel portions of the graft to the static magnetic field were measured for each signal intensity ratio. The Hotteling T2 test was used to evaluate the differences in signal intensity ratios to the differences in angles from flexion to extension for the intratibial bone tunnel and intraarticular portions of the graft.

RESULTS

Significant increases occurred in the signal intensity of the graft and the angle with the change in position from flexion to extension for both the intratibial bone tunnel (P < .01) and intraarticular (P < .01) portions of the graft. Changes in signal intensity ratios were greater than zero, and these values differed significantly for the intraarticular and the intratibial bone tunnel (P < .01) portions of the graft.

CONCLUSION

The signal intensity changes of the ACL graft related to changes in its alignment are likely a result of the magic-angle effect.