Degenerative tears of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus: correlation between MRI findings and outcome following intra-articular steroid/bupivacaine injection of the knee.

AIM: To evaluate the response of symptomatic degenerative tears of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus to guided intra-articular knee steroid/bupivacaine injection and to correlate clinical outcomes with preprocedural findings at magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients who had clinical and MRI evidence of a symptomatic degenerative tear of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus, isolated or accompanied by additional features of degenerative arthritis, who had failed conservative approaches (physiotherapy, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, and 3 months rest/knee bracing) were included in the study. Patients underwent intra-articular knee steroid/bupivacaine injection and were followed clinically for a minimum of 6 months. Preprocedural MRI findings were correlated with duration of symptoms, clinical response to injection (recorded as complete, partial or no response) and duration of response to injection. RESULTS: Forty-nine of 60 patients (82%) reported an improvement in symptoms following guided intra-articular knee steroid/bupivacaine injection (complete: 25 patients (42%), partial: 24 (40%) patients). Improvement was sustained in 32 of 60 patients (53%) at follow-up. Thirteen of 18 patients (72%) who had an isolated degenerative tear of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus recorded a complete resolution of symptoms. This was sustained at follow-up in 10 patients (56%). CONCLUSION: Intra-articular steroid/bupivacaine knee joint injection reduced pain symptoms in the majority of patients (81.7%) with degenerative tears of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus, usually with a sustained response. Preprocedural MRI appearances correlate with response to injection. Patients with isolated tears are more likely to have a favourable outcome.

Differing MRI appearances of symptomatic proximal hamstring tendinopathy with ageing: a comparison of appearances in patients below and above 45 years.

AIM: To compare magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearances of symptomatic proximal hamstring tendinopathy (PHT) in younger (<45 years) and older (>45 years) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MRI of patients with symptomatic PHT were reviewed and compared to asymptomatic age- and sex-matched controls. Appearances recorded were as: type 0, normal tendon; type I, intra-substance signal abnormality; type II, ischial bone and soft-tissue oedema with/without type I findings; type III, curvilinear fluid signal tearing with/without type II findings; type IV, bony avulsion. Disease pattern was compared between age groups using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: Thirty-one symptomatic patients (18 male, 13 female; mean age 42 years) were identified. Imaging findings of 16 patients >45 years, 15 patients <45 were as follows: type 0 n=8, type I n=7, type II n=6, type III n=10, type IV n=0. Those >45 years tended to have type III tendinopathy, no examples of type III disease were found in patients <45 years (p<0.001). No significant difference in disease pattern was seen between males and females (p=0.39). Seven of 31 controls >45 years had type III findings and four controls <45 years had type I findings. CONCLUSION: MRI appearances of symptomatic PHT differ with age. Differences may reflect mechanism, whereby overuse-related micro-tearing of healthy tendons occurs in young patients versus degenerative tendinopathy in older patients. Abnormal tendon appearances in patients >45 years may or may not be symptomatic. In contrast, abnormalities identified in younger patients are generally symptomatic. These described differences are important in the primary diagnosis and may impact upon patient response to therapy.

Ozone-augmented percutaneous discectomy: a novel treatment option for refractory discogenic sciatica.

AIM: To assess the short and medium-term efficacy and safety of a novel, minimally invasive therapeutic option combining automated percutaneous lumbar discectomy, intradiscal ozone injection, and caudal epidural: ozone-augmented percutaneous discectomy (OPLD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and forty-seven patients with a clinical and radiological diagnosis of discogenic sciatica who were refractory to initial therapy were included. Fifty patients underwent OPLD whilst 97 underwent a further caudal epidural. Outcomes were evaluated using McNab's score, improvement in visual analogue score (VAS) pain score, and requirement for further intervention. Follow-up occurred at 1 and 6 months, and comparison was made between groups. RESULTS: OPLD achieved successful outcomes in almost three-quarters of patients in the short and medium term. OPLD achieved superior outcomes at 1 and 6 months compared to caudal epidural. There was a reduced requirement for further intervention in the OPLD group. No significant complications occurred in either group. DISCUSSION: OPLD is a safe and effective treatment for patients with refractory discogenic sciatica in the short and medium term. OPLD has the potential to offer an alternative second-line minimally invasive treatment option that could reduce the requirement for surgery in this patient cohort.

Medial joint line bone bruising at MRI complicating acute ankle inversion injury: what is its clinical significance?

AIM: To assess the incidence and clinical significance of medial joint line bone bruising following acute ankle inversion injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-five patients who underwent ankle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within 2 weeks of acute ankle inversion injury were included in this prospective study. Integrity of the lateral collateral ligament complex, presence of medial joint line bone bruising, tibio-talar joint effusion, and soft-tissue swelling were documented. Clinical follow-up at 6 months was carried out to determine the impact of injury on length of time out of work, delay in return to normal walking, delay in return to sports activity, and persistence of medial joint line pain. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients had tears of the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL). Twenty-six patients had medial joint line bone bruising with altered marrow signal at the medial aspect of the talus and congruent surface of the medial malleolus. A complete ATFL tear was seen in 92% of the patients with medial joint line bone bruising (p = 0.05). Patients with an ATFL tear and medial joint line bone bruising had a longer delay in return to normal walking (p = 0.0002), longer delay in return to sports activity (p = 0.0001), and persistent medial joint line pain (p = 0.0003). There was no statistically significant difference in outcome for the eight patients without ATFL tears. CONCLUSION: Medial joint line bone bruising following an acute ankle inversion injury was significantly associated with a complete ATFL tear, longer delay in the return to normal walking and sports activity, as well as persistent medial joint line pain. Its presence should prompt detailed assessment of the lateral collateral ligament complex, particularly the ATFL.

Prevalence and clinical significance of chondromalacia isolated to the anterior margin of the lateral femoral condyle as a component of patellofemoral disease: observations at MR imaging.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of chondromalacia isolated to the anterior margin of the lateral femoral condyle as a component of patellofemoral disease in patients with anterior knee pain and to correlate it with patient demographics, patellar shape, and patellofemoral alignment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study over a 1-year period reviewing the MR knee examinations of all patients who were referred for assessment of anterior knee pain. Only patients with isolated lateral patellofemoral disease were included. Age, gender, distribution of lateral patellofemoral chondromalacia, and grade of cartilaginous defects were documented for each patient. Correlation between the distribution of lateral patellofemoral chondromalacia and patient demographics, patellar shape, and indices of patellar alignment (femoral sulcus angle and modified Q angle) was then ascertained. RESULTS: There were 50 patients (22 males, 28 females) with anterior knee pain and isolated patellofemoral disease. The majority of the patients (78 %) had co-existent disease with grade 1 chondromalacia. No significant correlation was found between patients with chondromalacia isolated to the anterior margin of the lateral femoral condyle and age, gender, patellar shape, or modified Q angle (p > 0.05). However, patients with chondromalacia isolated to the anterior margin of the lateral femoral condyle had a shallower femoral sulcus angle (mean 141.8°) compared to the patients with lateral patellar facet disease (mean 133.8°) (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: A small percentage of patients with anterior knee pain have chondromalacia isolated to the anterior margin of the lateral femoral condyle. This was associated with a shallower femoral sulcus angle.

Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma originating between the fourth and fifth metatarsal--case report and literature review.

We report a case of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma arising between the fourth and fifth metatarsal. A 13-year-old boy presented to outpatients with a history of pain and swelling in the lateral aspect of his left forefoot. Plain radiographs and MRI showed a soft tissue mass displacing the fourth metatarsal. Percutaneous biopsy revealed an alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Staging scans showed advanced metastatic disease. The patient was treated with chemotherapy. This highly malignant lesion remains challenging to diagnose, and difficult to treat successfully.

Overuse ankle injuries in professional Irish dancers.

BACKGROUND: Overuse ankle injuries have been described in elite athletes and professional ballet dancers however the spectrum of injuries experienced by professional Irish dancers has not been defined. METHODS: A troupe of actively performing dancers from an Irish-dance show were recruited (eight male, ten female; mean age, 26 years). The prevalence of overuse injuries in the right ankle was determined from magnetic resonance imaging. Foot and ankle self-report questionnaires were also completed (AOFAS and FAOS). RESULTS: Only three ankles were considered radiologically normal. Achilles tendinopathy, usually insertional, was the most frequent observation (n=14) followed by plantar fasciitis (n=7), bone oedema (n=2) and calcaneocuboid joint degeneration (n=2). There were limited correlations between MRI patterns and clinical scores indicating that many conditions are sub-clinical. Dancers with ankle pain had poor low (p=0.004) and high (p=0.013) level function. CONCLUSIONS: Overuse ankle injuries are common in Irish dancers. Incorporating eccentric exercises and plantar fascia stretching into a regular training program may benefit this population.

Three Tesla MRI for the diagnosis of meniscal and anterior cruciate ligament pathology: a comparison to arthroscopic findings.

AIM: To assess the accuracy of 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the evaluation of meniscal and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-one consecutive patients were identified who were referred for evaluation of suspected intra-articular pathology with a 3T MRI and who, subsequently, underwent an arthroscopic procedure of the knee were included for the study. Two musculoskeletal radiologists interpreted the images. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were then calculated for the MRI versus the arthroscopic findings as a reference standard. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity for the overall detection of meniscal tears in this study was 84 and 93%, respectively. The results for the medial meniscus separately were 91 and 93% and for the lateral 77 and 93%. The evaluation of ACL integrity was 100% sensitive and specific. The meniscal tear type was correctly identified in 75% of cases and its location in 94%. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates good results of 3T MRI in the evaluation of the injured knee. Caution should still be given to the interpretation on MRI of a lateral meniscus tear, and it is suggested that the standard diagnostic criteria of high signal reaching the articular surface on two consecutive image sections be adhered to even at these higher field strengths.

The posterior cruciate ligament-preserving total knee replacement: do we 'preserve' it? A radiological study.

Our aims were to map the tibial footprint of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) using MRI in patients undergoing PCL-preserving total knee replacement, and to document the disruption of this footprint as a result of the tibial cut. In 26 consecutive patients plain radiography and MRI of the knee were performed pre-operatively, and plain radiography post-operatively. The lower margin of the PCL footprint was located a mean of 1 mm (-10 to 8) above the upper aspect of the fibular head. The mean surface area was 83 mm(2) (49 to 142). One-third of patients (8 of 22) had tibial cuts made below the lowest aspect of the PCL footprint (complete removal) and one-third (9 of 22) had cuts extending into the footprint (partial removal). The remaining patients (5 of 22) had footprints unaffected by the cuts, keeping them intact. Our study highlights the wide variation in the location of the tibial PCL footprint when referenced against the fibula. Proximal tibial cuts using conventional jigs resulted in the removal of a significant portion, if not all of the PCL footprint in most of the patients in our study. Our findings suggest that when performing PCL-retaining total knee replacement the tibial attachment of the PCL is often removed.

Whole-body MR imaging. Practical issues, clinical applications, and future directions.

Whole-body MR imaging is in evolution, and although accepting and recognizing limitations, it is likely that both technique and incurred acquisition times will shorten over the next decade. Although the development of dedicated whole-body MR scanners appears to offer the greatest promise for the future, the development of moving table tops, optimized pulse sequences, and advances in gradient technology now facilitate practical whole-body MR imaging using existing clinical systems.

Injectable corticosteroid preparations: an embolic risk assessment by static and dynamic microscopic analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Transforaminal CS injections have been associated with severe adverse CNS events, including brain and spinal cord infarction. Our purpose was to describe the static and dynamic microscopic appearances of CS preparations, with an emphasis on their potential to cause adverse central nervous system events by embolic mechanisms during transforaminal injection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pharmaceutical preparations of nondilute injectable CSs were used after appropriate mixing: MPA (40 mg/mL), TA (40 mg/mL), and DSP (8 mg/2 mL). For dynamic imaging, a novel methodology was devised to replicate the flow of crystals within spinal cord arterioles. In addition, CS preparations were mixed with plasma to assess for changes in crystal size, morphology, and tendency to aggregate. RESULTS: The CS preparations MPA and TA are composed of crystals of varying sizes. MPA crystal size range was 0.4-26 µm (mean, 6.94 µm), TA crystal size range 0.5-110 µm (mean, 17.4 µm), and DSP did not contain any significant crystals or particles. There was no change in the crystal morphology or propensity to aggregate after mixing with local anesthetic. After mixing with plasma, the crystals also were unchanged; however, there was a significant reduction in the size of aggregates. On dynamic imaging, these aggregates were proved to maintain their integrity and to act as potential embolization agents. CONCLUSIONS: MPA and TA have a substantial risk of causing infarction by embolization if inadvertently injected intra-arterially at the time of TFESI. DSP is completely soluble and microscopically has no potential to obstruct arterioles. When performing cervical TFESI procedures, the administration of insoluble CSs should be avoided.

Multiple myeloma: a review of imaging features and radiological techniques.

The recently updated Durie/Salmon PLUS staging system published in 2006 highlights the many advances that have been made in the imaging of multiple myeloma, a common malignancy of plasma cells. In this article, we shall focus primarily on the more sensitive and specific whole-body imaging techniques, including whole-body computed tomography, whole-body magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission computed tomography. We shall also discuss new and emerging imaging techniques and future developments in the radiological assessment of multiple myeloma.

The cervical spine of professional front-row rugby players: correlation between degenerative changes and symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Injuries to the cervical spine (C-spine) are among the most serious in rugby and are well documented. Front-row players are particularly at risk due to repetitive high-intensity collisions in the scrum. AIM: This study evaluates degenerative changes of the C-spine and associated symptomatology in front-row rugby players. MATERIALS AND METHODS: C-spine radiographs from 14 professional rugby players and controls were compared. Players averaged 23 years of playing competitive rugby. Two consultant radiologists performed a blind review of radiographs evaluating degeneration of disc spaces and apophyseal joints. Clinical status was assessed using a modified AAOS/NASS/COSS cervical spine outcomes questionnaire. RESULTS: Front-row rugby players exhibited significant radiographic evidence of C-spine degenerative changes compared to the non-rugby playing controls (P < 0.005). Despite these findings the rugby players did not exhibit increased symptoms. CONCLUSION: This highlights the radiologic degenerative changes of the C-spine of front-row rugby players. However, these changes do not manifest themselves clinically or affect activities of daily living.

Disc displacement patterns in lumbar anterior spondylolisthesis: contribution to foraminal stenosis.

PURPOSE: To describe the particular disc displacement pattern seen at MRI in patients with spondylolisthesis, and its potential contribution to foraminal stenosis. METHODS: 38 patients with symptomatic lumbar anterior spondylolisthesis and 38 sex and aged matched control patients with herniated disc disease, at corresponding disc space levels, were included for study. In each case note was made of the presence, absence and direction of disc displacement and also the presence and location of neural contact with the displaced disc. RESULTS: In 33 of 38 (86.8%) patients in the spondylolisthesis group, the vertical disc displacement was upward. In the control group only 3 patients (7.8%) had upward vertical disc displacement. 19 patients (53%) from the spondylolisthesis group had exit foraminal nerve root contact, compared to 7 patients (18.4%) from the control group. 27 control patients (71%) had contact within the lateral recess, compared to only 6 patients (17%) with spondylolisthesis. Differences for upward displacement were significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Disc displacement in patients with spondylolisthesis is predominately in a cephalad and lateral direction. Although this disc displacement pattern can occur in patients without spondylolisthesis, its incidence is much greater in the subset of patients with concomitant spondylolisthesis. In the setting of acquired osseous narrowing of the exit foramen, this described pattern of disc displacement superiorly and laterally in spondylolisthesis increases the susceptibility of spondylolisthesis patients to radicular symptoms and accounts for the exiting nerve root being more commonly affected than the traversing nerve root.

Accuracy of whole-body low-dose multidetector CT (WBLDCT) versus skeletal survey in the detection of myelomatous lesions, and correlation of disease distribution with whole-body MRI (WBMRI).

AIM: The aim of the study is to assess the feasibility of whole-body low-dose computed tomography (WBLDCT) in the diagnosis and staging of multiple myeloma and compare to skeletal survey (SS), using bone marrow biopsy and whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WBMRI; where available) as gold standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients referred over an 18-month period for investigation of suspected multiple myeloma or restaging of myeloma were randomized to undergo one of two WBLDCT protocols using high kVp, low mAs technique (140 kVp, 14 mAs; or 140 kVp, 25 mAs). Recent WBMRI scans were reviewed in 23 cases. Each imaging modality was assessed by two radiologists in consensus and scored from 0-3 (0 = normal, 1 = 1-4 lesions, 2 = 5-20 lesions, 3 >or= 20 lesions/diffuse disease) in ten anatomical areas. Overall stage of disease, image quality score, and the degree of confidence of diagnosis were recorded. Diagnostic accuracy of skeletal survey and WBLDCT were determined using a gold standard of bone marrow biopsy and distribution of disease was compared to WBMRI. RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients were evaluated. WBLDCT identified more osteolytic lesions than skeletal survey with a greater degree of diagnostic confidence and led to restaging in 18 instances (16 upstaged, two downstaged). In those with recent WBMRI, distribution of disease on WBLDCT showed superior correlation with WBMRI when compared with SS. Overall reader impression of stage on WBLDCT showed significant correlation with WBMRI (kappa = 0.454, p < 0.05). WBLDCT provided complementary information to WBMRI in nine patients with normal marrow signal following treatment response, but which were shown to have diffuse residual cortical abnormalities on CT. CONCLUSION: WBLDCT at effective doses lower than previously reported, is superior to SS at detecting osteolytic lesions and at determining overall stage of multiple myeloma, and provides complementary information to WBMRI.