Can rotational alignment of total knee arthroplasty be measured on MRI?

Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2015 Nov;135(11):1589-94. doi: 10.1007/s00402-015-2289-4. Epub 2015 Jul 18.

Abstract

Background and purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of MRI to determine rotational alignment after TKA in comparison to the gold standard, CT.

Methods: Rotational alignment was measured in the transverse plane on CT and MR-images in 14 patients prior to TKA revision. Differences between CT and MRI measurements were analysed.

Results: There was a strong correlation between CT and MRI measurements for both the tibial (r = 0.929) and femoral (r = 0.942) components with a mean difference of 0.47 ± 1.3 and 0.13 ± 3.2 degrees, respectively.

Interpretation: Despite artefact formation, it can be concluded that the rotational alignment of metallic TKA components can be measured by MRI as accurately as by CT.

Keywords: AP Knee-recording; CT; MRI; Rotational alignment; Total knee arthroplasty.

MeSH terms

  • Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / methods*
  • Humans
  • Knee Joint* / diagnostic imaging
  • Knee Joint* / physiology
  • Knee Joint* / physiopathology
  • Knee Joint* / surgery
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Range of Motion, Articular / physiology*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed