Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE: To describe the post-surgical imaging appearance and complications of high tibial osteotomy in patients with the iBalance implant system (iHTO; Arthrex, Naples, FL, USA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective, institutional review board-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant review of imaging after 24 iBalance procedures was performed with attention to: correction of varus malalignment, healing at the osteotomy site, resorption of the osteoinductive compound, and complications. RESULTS: Immediate correction of the varus deformity was present in all cases. Lobular radiolucency was present in all cases, more pronounced on the lateral knee radiograph, simulating infection or erosive disease. Four radiographic signs of healing were observed: blurring at the opposing osteotomy bony margins and at the osteoinductive compound and the adjacent bone interface, callus formation, and resorption of the osteoinductive compound. Complications were present in 33 % of cases, including fracture through the lateral tibial cortex (21 %), genu varum recurrence (8 %), painful exuberant bone formation (4 %), persistent pain, requiring total knee arthroplasty (4 %), and non-union (after >6 months' follow-up), with suspected infection (4 %). CONCLUSION: Radiologists should be aware of the normal radiographic appearance following iBalance high tibial osteotomy, which may be confused with infection. Radiologists should also be aware of potential post-operative complications and compare all post-operative radiographs with the immediate post-operative examination to detect collapse of the osteotomy site and recurrence of varus angulation.

OBJECTIVE: To assess, utilizing MRI, tarsal tunnel disease in patients with talocalcaneal coalitions. To the best of our knowledge, this has only anecdotally been described before. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-seven ankle MRIs with talocalcaneal coalition were retrospectively reviewed for disease of tendons and nerves of the tarsal tunnel. Interobserver variability in diagnosing tendon disease was performed in 30 of the 67 cases. Tarsal tunnel nerves were also evaluated in a control group of 20 consecutive ankle MRIs. RESULTS: Entrapment of the flexor hallucis longus tendon (FHL) by osseous excrescences was seen in 14 of 67 cases (21 %). Attenuation, split tearing, tenosynovitis, or tendinosis of the FHL was present in 26 cases (39 %). Attenuation or tenosynovitis was seen in the flexor digitorum longus tendon (FDL) in 18 cases (27 %). Tenosynovitis or split tearing of the posterior tibial tendon (PT) was present in nine cases (13 %). Interobserver variability ranged from 100 % to slight depending on the tendon and type of disease. Intense increased signal and caliber of the medial plantar nerve (MPN), indicative of neuritis, was seen in 6 of the 67 cases (9 %). Mildly increased T2 signal of the MPN was seen in 15 (22 %) and in 14 (70 %) of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Talocalcaneal coalitions may be associated with tarsal tunnel soft tissue abnormalities affecting, in decreasing order, the FHL, FDL, and PT tendons, as well as the MPN. This information should be provided to the referring physician in order to guide treatment and improve post-surgical outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the position of the peroneus longus (PL) tendon relative to the cuboid tuberosity and cuboid tunnel during ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion using ultrasound and MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population included two groups: 20 feet of 10 asymptomatic volunteers who underwent prospective dynamic ultrasound and 55 ankles found through retrospective review of routine ankle MRI examinations. The location of the PL tendon at the cuboid tuberosity and cuboid tunnel was designated as completely within the tunnel, indeterminate, or subluxed with respect to ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion. RESULTS: On dynamic ultrasound, the PL tendon was perched plantar to the cuboid tuberosity in dorsiflexion, and glided to enter the cuboid tunnel distal to the tuberosity in plantarflexion in all 20 feet. On the MRI evaluation, there was a statistically significant difference (p = 0.0006) in the location of the PL tendon between the ankles scanned in dorsiflexion and plantarflexion. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings on ultrasound and MRI, the PL tendon can glide in and out of the cuboid tunnel along the cuboid tuberosity depending on ankle position. Thus, "subluxation" of the tendon as it curves to enter the cuboid tunnel, which to the best of our knowledge has not yet been described, should be recognized as a normal, position-dependent phenomenon and not be reported as pathology.

Purpose: A routine shoulderMRI protocolwith multi-planar 2D fast spin echo (FSE) sequences usually requires 15-20 min of imaging time.With recent technological advances of multichannel coils and MRI systems, these same sequences can nowbe acquired rapidly using parallel imaging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if a 5-min shoulder MRI protocol using parallel imaging is interchangeable with a routine shoulder MRI protocol. Materials and Methods: 153 shoulder MRI exams performed on an 8 channel 3 T system (Siemens Verio) with a 4 channel shoulder coil (Invivo) were retrospectively reviewed. All scans included a routine 5 sequence protocol (coronal oblique fat suppressed (fs) PD-weighted and T2-weighted FSE sequences, sagittal oblique fs fluid sensitive and non fs T1-weighted FSE sequences, and an axial fluid sensitive FSE sequence) and 4 fast sequences with an acceleration factor of 2 and slightly larger voxels (coronal oblique, sagittal oblique, and axial fs fluid sensitive sequences and a sagittal oblique non fs T1-weighted sequence). After separation and anonymization of the two protocols, 2 musculoskeletal radiologists independently evaluated the following structures: supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons (normal/tendinosis, low grade partial-thickness tear, high grade partial-thickness tear, full thickness tear); subscapularis tendon (normal/tendinosis, partial thickness tear, incomplete full thickness tear, and complete full thickness tear); rotator cuff muscle fatty infiltration (none, minimal, mild, moderate, marked); biceps tendon (normal, tendinosis/ partial tear, complete tear); and labrum by quadrant (intact, tear). A test for interchangeability between the fast and routine protocols was performed by comparing the difference between the inter-reader agreement for the routine protocol with the inter-reader agreement when 1 reader was reading the routine protocol and the other reader was reading the fast protocol. Results: The mean age of the patients was 46.75 years (18 - 80) with 85 men and 68 women. The average imaging time was 5 min, 23 s (4:47 - 6:45) for the fast protocol and 14 min, 6 s (12:43 - 16:34) for the routine protocol. The inter-reader agreement for supraspinatus/ infraspinatus pathology was 79.5 % for the routine protocol versus 80.8 % between the routine and fast protocols (95 % CI for difference -5.5 to 2.9 %, p = 0.539). The agreement for subscapularis pathology was 83.4 % for the routine protocol versus 83.4 % between the two protocols (95 % CI -3.8 to 3.8%, p = 1.0). The agreement on muscle fatty infiltration was 89.4 % for the routine protocol versus 91.4 % between the two protocols (95 % CI -4.5 to 0.6 %, p = 0.141). The agreement on biceps pathology was 70.9 % for the routine protocol versus 68.2 % between the two protocols (95 % CI -2.4 to 7.7 %, p = 0.302). The agreement on labrum was between 77.5 and 94.0 % for the routine protocol versus 75.5-93.4 % between the two protocols (95 % CI -3.2 to 6.6 %, p value=0.105-1.0). Conclusion: A 5-min shoulder MRI is clinically interchangeable with a routine shoulderMRI for evaluation of the rotator cuff, biceps tendon and glenoid labrum. Using a 5-min protocol could improve the efficiency and lower the costs of performing a shoulder MRI

Purpose: Medial hindfoot coalitions, particularly posterior extra-articular and overlap coalitions, may have large medial and posteromedial osseous excrescences which extend into and produce, in conjunction with flat foot deformity, stretching and mass effect on the tarsal tunnel. Resection of the coalition without addressing pathology of these soft tissue structures can result in surgical failure and continued disability to the patient. Yet, to the best of our knowledge, there is scant information about this topic in the literature. We hypothesize that soft tissue disease in the tarsal tunnel is a frequent phenomenon, in the setting of hindfoot coalitions. Materials and Methods: A search of our ankle MRI data base revealed 88 cases with medial hindfoot coalitions. All cases were independently and retrospectively reviewed by 2 musculoskeletal radiologists for the presence of neuritis, manifested by focally increased nerve caliber and signal, of the posterior tibial nerve and its medial and lateral plantar branches. The posterior tibial (PT), flexor hallucis longus (FHL) and flexor digitorum longus (FDL) were assessed for the presence of tendinosis, tenosynovitis and partial tearing. Results: The final cohort included 68 cases of medial hindfoot (middle, posterior extra-articular and overlap) coalition (37 men, 31 women, average age 40, range 72-8). Neuritis of the posterior tibial nerve and its branches (n = 18, 26 %) was more commonly noted in the medial plantar nerve. Entrapment of FHL by osseous coalition-related posteromedial excrescences was seen in 14 cases (21 %). Other tendon disorders such as flattening and stretching against sharp bony edges, tendinosis, partial tearing and tenosynovitis were noted in the FHL (n = 30, 44 %) and FDL (n = 22, 32 %). PT tendinosis and tearing was less common (n=9, 13%). Conclusion: Medial hindfoot coalitions are commonly associated with tarsal tunnel soft tissue abnormalities affecting the posterior tibial nerve and its branches, the FHL tendon and less commonly FDL and PT tendons. The radiologist should alert the referring physician for the presence of tarsal tunnel abnormalities in the presence of medial hindfoot coalition since these can guide surgical treatment and outcome

Purpose: iBalance high tibial osteotomy, (iHTO, Arthrex Inc, Naples, Florida), is a recently introduced surgical procedure for correction of knee varus malalignment. iHTO, utilizing a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implant and osteoinductive compounds (OIC), presents challenging post operative radiographs which can easily be misinterpreted as infection. Our purpose is to report, based on review of 24 cases, the previously undescribed to the best of our knowledge, radiographic features of iHTO and its complications. Materials and Methods: Retrospective query of our digital database was performed to identify iHTO cases. The clinical and postsurgical images in all cases with > 1-month follow up imaging were reviewed with attention to 1. Correction of varus malalignment, 2. Healing at the osteotomy site, 3. Changes in the OIC, and 4. Complications. Results: There were 24 iHTOs in 23 patients (17 men, 6 women, ages 21-59, mean 44, median 46), imaged 1 to 29 months post-surgery, with angle of correction, when available, ranging from 5 to 14degree. Immediate post-surgical correction of varus malalignment was seen in 100 % of patients. 100 % depicted oval radiolucencies, at bone PEEK interface simulating erosions and infection. Four, often overlapping, signs of healing were noted: 1. Blurring of bony margins at the osteotomy site, noted within 2 weeks post surgery, 2. Blurring of sharp interface between OIC and host bone, 3. Anterior, posterior and less commonly medial bridging callus, 4. Resorption of OIC, noted as early as 4 months. Complications, seen in 7 cases (29 %), included genu varum recurrence (n = 2), painful exuberant bone formation, (n = 1), and propagation of the osteotomy through the lateral tibial cortex (n = 4). In patients with >6 months follow-up, nonunion and possible infection was seen in 1 patient. 2 patients required total knee arthroplasty due to iHTO failure. Conclusion: iBalance HTO typically depicts oval radiolucencies at the PEEK bone interface not to be mistaken for infection. Familiarity with this features, as well as with other signs of healing, should aid the radiologist in accurate interpretation of post operative films of iHTO patients

Injuries to the extensor compartment of the ankle are uncommon and often are overlooked or misinterpreted at clinical presentation. Ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging play a critical role in the diagnosis and evaluation of these injuries. US is a dynamic, quick, cost-effective imaging method for assessing ankle extensor compartment injuries as an alternative or adjunct to MR imaging. MR imaging provides multiplanar cross-sectional delineation of regional anatomic structures and also can be used to assess the predisposing cause, estimate the extent of injury, and aid in preoperative planning for requisite surgical repair. The spectrum of pathologic conditions affecting the ankle extensor compartment ranges from tendinosis secondary to degenerative, inflammatory, or depositional disease to traumatic tendon or retinacular rupture and entrapment neuropathy. Major components of the ankle extensor compartment at risk for injury include the anterior tibial, extensor hallucis longus, and extensor digitorum longus tendons; the extensor retinacular mechanism; and the anterior tarsal tunnel. Familiarity with the normal anatomic appearance and pathologic features of the ankle extensor compartment at US and MR imaging as well as potential imaging pitfalls is critical for accurate injury evaluation.

Tendon disorders along the plantar aspect of the foot may lead to significant symptoms but are often clinically misdiagnosed. Familiarity with the normal anatomy of the plantar tendons and its appearance at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and ultrasonography (US) is essential for recognizing plantar tendon disorders. At MR imaging, the course of the plantar tendons is optimally visualized with dedicated imaging of the midfoot and forefoot. This imaging should include short-axis images obtained perpendicular to the long axis of the metatarsal shafts, which allows true cross-sectional evaluation of the plantar tendons. Normal plantar tendons appear as low-signal-intensity structures with all MR sequences. At US, accurate evaluation of the tendons requires that the ultrasound beam be perpendicular to the tendon. The normal tendon appears as a compact linear band of echogenic tissue that contains a fine, mixed hypoechoic and hyperechoic internal fibrillar pattern. Tendon injuries can be grouped into six major categories: tendinosis, peritendinosis, tenosynovitis, entrapment, rupture, and instability (subluxation or dislocation) and can be well assessed with both MR imaging and US. The radiologist plays an important role in the diagnosis of plantar tendon disorders, and recognizing their imaging appearances at MR imaging and US is essential.