FREQUENCY OF ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURY ON MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH KNEE MORPHOMETRICS

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of anterior cruciate ligament(ACL) injury using magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) in patients presenting with knee pain and to compare knee morphometrics in terms of mean femoral Notch Width (NW), Bicondylar Width (BCW) and Notch Width Index (NWI) in patients with and without ACL tear.

Study Design: Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.

Study Setting: Al-Noor Diagnostic Center, Lahore.

Study Duration: Four months (from March to June, 2025)

Methodology: A total of 200 patients aged 17–50 years undergoing knee MRI for pain or suspected injury were enrolled using consecutive sampling. ACL injury status was assessed via MRI, and morphometric measurements (NW, BCW, and NWI) were taken on coronal T1-weighted images using digital calipers. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 27. Differences in means were analyzed using independent t-tests, with a p-value of ≤ 0.05 indicating statistical significance.

Results: ACL injury was present in 94 patients (47.0%). Although the mean notch width (NW) and notch width index (NWI) were slightly lower in the injured group (NW: 21.56 ± 2.62 mm; NWI: 0.300 ± 0.026) compared to the non-injured group (NW: 21.18 ± 2.55 mm; NWI: 0.299 ± 0.027), the differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.293 and p = 0.665, respectively). Bicondylar width (BCW) also showed no significant difference between groups (p = 0.319).

Conclusion: ACL injury was found in nearly half of symptomatic patients undergoing MRI. In our population, morphometric parameters such as notch width, bicondylar width, and notch width index were not significantly associated with ACL injury.