PURPOSE: To evaluate surgically treated patients with chronic Achilles tendinosis by MR. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Gd-contrast-enhanced (CME) T1-, precontrast T1-, PD- and T2-weighted images were obtained preoperatively and 2 years following surgical treatment on 15 middle-aged patients with severe symptoms of chronic Achilles tendinosis. MR evaluation included the depiction of intratendinous signal alterations and their volume, and also measurement of tendon diameter. A questionnaire and clinical examination evaluated the clinical outcome. RESULTS: The most sensitive sequence to depict an intratendinous lesion was the CME T1-WI. There was marked regress of the estimated volume of the intratendinous signal alteration from a median of 1.2 cm3 preoperatively to 0.0 cm3 postoperatively on CME T1-WI. CME T1-WI showed a regress in intratendinous signal abnormality from 13 out of 15 patients preoperatively to 4 of 15 patients 2 years postoperatively. The a.p. dimension was 9 mm at both MR occasions. The clinical outcome was excellent in 8, good in 5, fair in 1 and poor in 1 patient. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of chronic Achilles tendinosis and its healing resulted in a decrease or elimination of the intratendinous signal alteration correlating to an improved clinical outcome 2 years postoperatively.
PURPOSE: To evaluate surgically treated patients with chronic Achilles tendinosis by MR. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Gd-contrast-enhanced (CME) T1-, precontrast T1-, PD- and T2-weighted images were obtained preoperatively and 2 years following surgical treatment on 15 middle-aged patients with severe symptoms of chronic Achilles tendinosis. MR evaluation included the depiction of intratendinous signal alterations and their volume, and also measurement of tendon diameter. A questionnaire and clinical examination evaluated the clinical outcome. RESULTS: The most sensitive sequence to depict an intratendinous lesion was the CME T1-WI. There was marked regress of the estimated volume of the intratendinous signal alteration from a median of 1.2 cm3 preoperatively to 0.0 cm3 postoperatively on CME T1-WI. CME T1-WI showed a regress in intratendinous signal abnormality from 13 out of 15 patients preoperatively to 4 of 15 patients 2 years postoperatively. The a.p. dimension was 9 mm at both MR occasions. The clinical outcome was excellent in 8, good in 5, fair in 1 and poor in 1 patient. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of chronic Achilles tendinosis and its healing resulted in a decrease or elimination of the intratendinous signal alteration correlating to an improved clinical outcome 2 years postoperatively.
Authors: Angelo De Carli; Riccardo Maria Lanzetti; Alessandro Ciompi; Domenico Lupariello; Antonio Vadalà; Giuseppe Argento; Andrea Ferretti; M C Vulpiani; M Vetrano Journal: Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc Date: 2015-03-22 Impact factor: 4.342