T2 mapping of the articular cartilage in the ankle: Correlation to the status of anterior talofibular ligament

T2‐Mapping evaluation of early cartilage alteration of talus for chronic lateral ankle instability with isolated anterior talofibular ligament tear or combined with calcaneofibular ligament tear

“…Additionally, a T 2 quantitative study reported that the T 2 value of talar cartilage in patients with ATFL injury increased at the MA, LA, and LC compartments. 22 The result was partially consistent with ours, since that study only evaluated the status of ATFL (partial or complete tear), and it was not clear whether the complete ATFL group was comprised of CFL tear subjects, which could be a confounding factor. Furthermore, the T 2 values of MC, MP, LC cartilage compartments and TTC in the ATFL1CFL group were higher than those in the ATFL group, which suggested that the chronic LAI with combined ATFL and CFL tear may result in much larger and severer cartilage degeneration than with isolated ATFL tear.…”

“…What's more, we did not subdivide the ATFL or CFL tear into partial tear group and complete tear group. Previous studies have indicated that the degree of ligament tears may influence the degree of lateral ankle instability and cartilage degeneration . However, in our study we only focused on whether the chronic LAI involved ATFL tear or combined ATFL and CFL tear.…”

“…However, all the studies aforementioned did not differentiate chronic LAIs with isolated ATFL tear from those with combined ATFL and CFL tear. Additionally, a T 2 quantitative study reported that the T 2 value of talar cartilage in patients with ATFL injury increased at the MA, LA, and LC compartments . The result was partially consistent with ours, since that study only evaluated the status of ATFL (partial or complete tear), and it was not clear whether the complete ATFL group was comprised of CFL tear subjects, which could be a confounding factor.…”

“…Recent studies have reported that LAI ankles with ATFL injury showed elevated cartilage contact pressure to talus compared to healthy controls, and the cartilage degeneration with higher T 2 values in the talar trochlea was found . However, they only focused on the cartilage change resulting from isolated ATFL injury.…”

“…14 Especially, the application of a 3.0T scanner and dedicated multichannel coils makes T 2 -mapping become a high-resolution imaging for the thin cartilage of the ankle 21 Recent studies have reported that LAI ankles with ATFL injury showed elevated cartilage contact pressure to talus compared to healthy controls, and the cartilage degeneration with higher T 2 values in the talar trochlea was found. 22,23 However, they only focused on the cartilage change resulting from isolated ATFL injury. There are limited data on the cartilage alteration of chronic LAI with combined ATFL and CFL tear, and the differences of cartilage alteration with combined ATFL and CFL tear from isolated ATFL tear.…”