To investigate whether tibial intercondylar hyperplasia can cause anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries.
From February 2009 to October 2012, 58 cases (including 70 knees) with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) without trauma history were selected from the out-patient department of orthopaedics in Guang'anmen Hospital attached to China Academy of Chinese Medical Science. All cases were tested by MRI scanning, then vertical height of the medial and lateral intercondylar spine in coronal position and the area of abnormal signal of ACL in sagittal position were tested from patients. Correlation between the height of intercondylar spine and the area of abnormal signal of ACL were analyzed.
Fives cases of 58 cases( 70 knees) were excluded from episome in knee joint, and other 65 knees were in accordance with the inclusion criteria. Among them, there were 10 males and 48 females aged from 39 to 79 years old with an average of 61 years old. The vertical height of the medial intercondylar spine was (10.02 +/- 1.46) mm and lateral was (8.92 +/- 1.69) mm. The area of abnormal signal ACL was (318.42 +/- 130.10) mm2. There was positive correlation between the height of medial intercondylar spine and the area of abnormal signal of ACL (r=0.06, P=0.00). But there was no correlation between lateral intercondylar spine and the area of abnormal signal of ACL (P=0.10).
The height of medial intercondylar spine and the area of abnormal signal of ACL is positively correlated. The clinical significance is in study, while the clinical meaning still need further study.