Monitoring changes of anterior patellar tendon in amateur marathon athletes using ultra-short echo time magnetization transfer technology
10.3760/cma.j.cn112149-20230911-00178
- VernacularTitle:超短回波时间磁化传递技术在业余马拉松运动员髌前肌腱动态监测中的应用
- Author:
Dantian ZHU
1
;
Yijie FANG
;
Wenhao WU
;
Wenjun YU
;
Yajun MA
;
Shaolin LI
Author Information
1. 中山大学附属第五医院影像医学部放射科，珠海 519000
- Keywords:
Magnetic resonance imaging;
Ultra-short echo time;
Anterior patellar tendon;
Marathon
- From:
Chinese Journal of Radiology
2023;57(12):1284-1289
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To explore the value of ultra-short echo time magnetization transfer (UTE-MT) techniques for quantitatively dynamic monitoring of anterior patellar tendon (patellar tendon, quadriceps tendon) changes in amateur marathon runners before and after competition.Methods:Between October 2020 and January 2021, 23 amateur marathoners in Zhuhai, aged 28-50 (40±6) years, were prospectively recruited. Three-dimensional UTE-MT and dual-echo UTE-T 2* sequence scans of bilateral knee joints were performed before, 48 hours and 4 weeks after the marathon running, respectively. Another 5 non-running volunteers were recruited for verification of sequence stability. UTE-magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and UTE-T 2* value of the patellar tendon, quadriceps tendon, and 3 tendon-bone insertion points (patellar tendon-tibial insertion point, patellar tendon-patellar insertion point, and quadriceps tendon-patellar insertion point) were measured independently on sagittal images of the knee joint by 2 radiologists. The stability of the 2 serial measurements and consistency tests between the 2 radiologists were assessed with a two-way mixed intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to compare the differences in UTE-MTR and UTE-T 2* values of the prepatellar tendon before and after the marathon running. Results:Both UTE-MT and dual-echo UTE-T 2* sequence measurements had good stability, with ICC values of 0.98 and 0.92, respectively. Measurements of UTE-MTR and UTE-T 2* value of the patellar tendon, quadriceps tendon, and the 3 tendon-bone insertion points by the 2 radiologists were in good agreement (ICC>0.80). Forty-eight hours after the marathon running, the UTE-MTR of the patellar tendon, quadriceps tendon, and the 3 tendon-bone insertion points decreased, and UTE-MTR of the patellar tendon continued to decrease 4 weeks after the race, while UTE-MTR of other regions increased. Only the difference in UTE-MTR for the patellar tendon was statistically significant ( F=7.46, P=0.001) among pre-marathon (0.34±0.04), 48 h after the race (0.32±0.04), and 4 weeks after the race (0.31±0.04). UTE-T 2* value was mildly elevated in all regions at 48 h after the marathon running, but the differences among the three points were not statistically significant ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The UTE-MT has better reproducibility and inter-rater reliability. The UTE-MT can be used to monitor the dynamic changes of the prepatellar tendon before and after marathon exercise, where the UTE-MTR of the patellar tendon consistently decreases after marathon exercise.
