Ahn Kyung-Sik, Lee Nam Joon, Kang Chang Ho, Lee Young Hen, Jeon Hae Jeong
Department of Radiology, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Radiology, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
J Ultrasound Med. 2017 Apr;36(4):767-774. doi: 10.7863/ultra.16.02059. Epub 2017 Feb 2.
The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the serial changes of morphology and strain in the early process of Achilles tendinopathy in a rabbit model.
A total of 10 New Zealand white rabbits underwent ligation of one of their Achilles tendons to induce ischemic injury. Both inflamed and contralateral Achilles tendons were serially evaluated with 3 follow-ups: the first on days 3 to 5, the second on days 9 to 13, and the third and last follow-up on days 15 to 20 after surgery. During each examination, tendon thickness was measured and red, green, and blue pixel intensities of the elastogram were analyzed using color histogram analysis software. Differences between the inflamed and control group were compared.
The mean thickness of the inflamed tendons increased during consecutive follow-ups and was significantly larger than that of control tendons (P < .01). The mean red pixel intensity ratio of the inflamed tendons was also serially increased and was higher than that in the control tendons, indicating softening. However, the difference was significant only in the second and third follow-ups (P < .01).
Tendon thickening and softening developed during the early process of Achilles tendinopathy in a rabbit model. Tendon softening may present later than thickening.
本研究旨在调查和比较兔模型中跟腱病早期过程中形态学和应变的系列变化。
总共10只新西兰白兔，对其一跟腱进行结扎以诱导缺血性损伤。对发炎的跟腱和对侧跟腱进行3次随访的系列评估：第一次在术后3至5天，第二次在9至13天，第三次也是最后一次随访在15至20天。每次检查时，测量肌腱厚度，并使用彩色直方图分析软件分析弹性图的红、绿、蓝像素强度。比较发炎组和对照组之间的差异。
在连续随访期间，发炎肌腱的平均厚度增加，且显著大于对照肌腱（P <.01）。发炎肌腱的平均红色像素强度比也呈系列增加，且高于对照肌腱，表明变软。然而，差异仅在第二次和第三次随访中显著（P <.01）。
在兔模型中跟腱病早期过程中出现肌腱增厚和变软。肌腱变软可能比增厚出现得晚。
