The radiographic tibial spine area is correlated with the occurrence of ACL injury.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to reveal the possible influence of the tibial spine area on the occurrence of ACL injury.

METHODS

Thirty-nine subjects undergoing anatomical ACL reconstruction (30 female, 9 male: average age 29 ± 15.2) and 37 subjects with intact ACL (21 female, 16 male: average age 29 ± 12.5) were included in this study. In the anterior-posterior (A-P) and lateral knee radiograph, the tibial spine area was measured using a PACS system. In axial knee MRI exhibiting the longest femoral epicondylar length, the intercondylar notch area was measured. Tibial spine area, tibial spine area/body height, and tibial spine area/notch area were compared between the ACL tear and intact groups.

RESULTS

The A-P tibial spine area of the ACL tear and intact groups was 178 ± 34 and 220.7 ± 58mm, respectively. The lateral tibial spine area of the ACL tear and intact groups was 145.7 ± 36.9 and 178.9 ± 41.7mm, respectively. The tibial spine area was significantly larger in the ACL intact group when compared with the ACL tear group (A-P: p = 0.02, lateral: p = 0.03). This trend was unchanged even when the tibial spine area was normalized by body height (A-P: p = 0.01, lateral: p = 0.02). The tibial spine area/notch area of the ACL tear and intact groups showed no significant difference.

CONCLUSION

The A-P and lateral tibial spine area was significantly smaller in the ACL tear group when compared with the ACL intact group. Although the sample size was limited, a small tibial spine might be a cause of knee instability, which may result in ACL injury.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III.