Early Imaging Biomarkers of Cartilage Strain After ACL Reconstruction Predict Patient Pain and Altered Knee Loading
Abstract
Purpose: To investigate temporal evolution of cartilage strain and relaxometry following ACL reconstruction, and examine associations between MRI metrics, pain, and knee loading patterns during gait as potential early markers of cartilage degeneration.
Methods: Twenty-five participants (15 female, 10 male; mean age 25.6 years) undergoing ACL reconstruction completed MRI assessments at 6 and 12 month post-surgery, including displacement-encoding MRI (intratissue strain) and quantitative relaxometry (T2, T2*, T1ρ). Pain was evaluated using patient-reported outcome scores. Gait analysis quantified knee adduction moment, knee extension moment, and knee flexion moment at 12 months in a subset of patients. Correlations between MRI metrics in cartilage contact regions, patient-reported outcomes, and knee loading were evaluated.
