Karolina Dambrauskaite¹, Vaida Sipaviciene^{1, 2}

¹Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Medical faculty. ²Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kauno Klinikos Radiology Department

Abstract

Aim. The purpose of this study is to determine the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance artrography (MRA) during the diagnostics of scapholunate ligament (SL) and triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFFC) injuries.

Methods. Retrospective study has been carried out in the department of Radiology, Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kauno Klinikos (LSMUL KK). The data was collected from LSMUL KK Orthopaedic and traumatology department and Kaunas Clinical Hospital Orthopaedic and traumatology unit. The data was collected from the case histories (n=40) of the patients who underwent arthroscopic surgery of the wrist joint because of chronic wrist pain and suspected injury of the SL ligament and/or TFCC. Before the surgery patients had a 1.5T wrist MRA carried out. All the findings in MRA were compared with the findings of wrist arthroscopy as a “gold standard”. Sensitivity, specificity, positive (PTTV) and negative (PNTV) predictive values of wrist MRA in the diagnostics of SL ligament and TFCC injuries were determined. Statistical package SPSS 23.0 was used for data analysis.

Results. 1.5 T MRA sensitivity and specificity while diagnosing TFCC injury are respectively equal to 90% and 95%, PTTV and PNTV equal 94,73% and 90,47%. Sensitivity and specificity while diagnosing SL ligament injuries were 90% and 90,9% PTTV and PNTV were 96,42% and 76,92%. Sensitivity and specificity of partial SL ligament injuries were 88,23% and 95,83%, PTTV – 87,5%, PNTV – 86,97%, while complete SL ligament injuries were diagnosed with 92,3% sensitivity, 100% specificity, PTTV 100% and 96,43% PNTV. No statistically significant difference was observed after comparing sensitivity and specificity of MRA in partial and complete SL ligament injuries (p>0.05).

Conclusions. According to our results MRA imaging has high diagnostic value in SL and TFCC injuries diagnoses.

Keywords: Arthroscopy; MRA; MRA imaging; wrist