Radiological Comparison of Meniscofemoral Ligaments in Patients with Intact and Ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament

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Background: Evaluating concomitant injury in patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is important for predicting long-term results. Meniscofemoral ligament (MFL) rupture has been observed in patients with anterior cruciate ligament rupture in arthroscopic evaluation for ruptured ACL. Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the concomitant meniscofemoral ligaments injury in patients with anterior cruciate ligament ruptures via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: A total of 200 patients (with ruptured ACL, n = 100; with intact ACL, n = 100) were retrospectively evaluated via MRI. In the group with ruptured ACL; the patients who were diagnosed as having noncontact ACL injuries and had undergone primary ACL reconstructions were included. The control group included 100 patients with suspected ACL rupture (from a similar injury mechanism) and whose MRI revealed an intact ACL. In the group with ruptured ACL, the time from injury to MRI was evaluated. A comparison of the presence of anterior MFL (aMFL) and posterior MFL (pMFL) between the two groups was evaluated. Results: In the ACL ruptured group, a significantly lower presence of aMFL or pMFL was observed compared to the control group (P = 0.001). The time from injury to MRI was significantly higher in the patients with absent MFL defined in MRI relative to the other groups (P = 0.001). Conclusions: We observed absence of MFLs (aMFL and pMFL) in a significant majority of patients with ruptured ACLs. Furthermore, we found a significant relationship between the time from injury to MRI and absence of MFL in the ruptured ACL group.