The correlations between dimensions of the normal tendon and tendinopathy changed Achilles tendon in routine magnetic resonance imaging

Pawel Szaro,Khaldun Ghali Gataa

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-85604-9

Pawel Szaro, Khaldun Ghali Gataa

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-85604-9

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Abstract

This comparative study aimed to investigate how tendinopathy-related lesions change correlations in the dimensions of the Achilles tendon. Our experimental group included 74 patients. The mean age was 52.9 ± 10.4 years. The control group included 81 patients with a mean age was 35.2 ± 13.6 years, p < .001. The most significant difference in correlation was the thickness of the tendon and the midportion's width, which was more significant in the tendinopathy (r = .49 vs. r = .01, p < .001). The correlation was positive between width and length of the insertion but negative in normal tendons (r = .21 vs. r = − .23, p < .001). The correlation was between the midportions width in tendinopathy and the tendon's length but negative in the normal tendon (r = .16 vs. r = − .23, p < .001). The average thickness of the midportion in tendinopathy was 11.2 ± 3.3 mm, and 4.9 ± 0.5 mm in the control group, p < .001. The average width of the midportion and insertion was more extensive in the experimental group, 17.2 ± 3.1 mm vs. 14.7 ± 1.8 mm for the midportion and 31.0 ± 3.9 mm vs. 25.7 ± 3.0 mm for insertion, respectively, p < .001. The tendon's average length was longer in tendinopathy (83.5 ± 19.3 mm vs. 61.5 ± 14.4 mm, p < .001). The dimensions correlations in normal Achilles tendon and tendinopathic tendon differ significantly.

Highlights

This comparative study aimed to investigate how tendinopathy-related lesions change correlations in the dimensions of the Achilles tendon
The highest interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) in the experimental group was noticed in the Achilles tendon length, 0.96 (0.89–0.98, standard error of measurement (SEM) 2.22) for distance A and 0.95 (0.87–0.98, SEM 2.27) for distance B, Table 1
The lowest ICC in the experimental group was noticed in distance F at 0.72 (0.35–0.88, SEM 0.38), Table 1

Summary

Introduction

This comparative study aimed to investigate how tendinopathy-related lesions change correlations in the dimensions of the Achilles tendon. The control group included 81 patients with a mean age was 35.2 ± 13.6 years, p < .001. The correlation was between the midportions width in tendinopathy and the tendon’s length but negative in the normal tendon (r = .16 vs r = − .23, p < .001). There are no large population studies on the same group comparing ultrasound and MRI effectiveness in diagnosing Achilles tendinopathy. Diagnostic imaging in sports medicine aims to detect subclinical tendinopathy changes, which allows for early prevention of Achilles tendon rupture; appropriate patient selection is critical. Diagnostic problems related to tendinopathy at an early-stage result from a short T2-time result in no signal or a low signal with minor pathological changes within the Achilles tendon. Clinical examination, and in doubtful cases, Scientific Reports | (2021) 11:6131

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