Ultrasound Characterization of Patellar Tendon in Non-Elite Sport Players with Painful Patellar Tendinopathy: Absolute Values or Relative Ratios? A Pilot Study
Imaging findings in patellar tendinopathy are questioned. The aim of this pilot study was to characterize ultrasound measures, by calculating ultrasound ratio and neovascularization of the patellar tendon in non-elite sport players with unilateral painful patellar tendinopathy. Cross-sectional area...
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doaj-0b90712a2181466aac1d668fab550dba2020-11-25T01:40:42ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182020-10-011088288210.3390/diagnostics10110882Ultrasound Characterization of Patellar Tendon in Non-Elite Sport Players with Painful Patellar Tendinopathy: Absolute Values or Relative Ratios? A Pilot StudyJosé L. Arias-Buría0César Fernández-de-las-Peñas1Jorge Rodríguez-Jiménez2Gustavo Plaza-Manzano3Joshua A. Cleland4Gracia M. Gallego-Sendarrubias5Ibai López-de-Uralde-Villanueva6Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28922 Alcorcón, SpainDepartment of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28922 Alcorcón, SpainDepartment of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28922 Alcorcón, SpainDepartment of Radiology, Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02155, USADepartment of Physical Therapy, Universidad Camilo José Cela, Villanueva de la Cañada, 28692 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Radiology, Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainImaging findings in patellar tendinopathy are questioned. The aim of this pilot study was to characterize ultrasound measures, by calculating ultrasound ratio and neovascularization of the patellar tendon in non-elite sport players with unilateral painful patellar tendinopathy. Cross-sectional area (CSA), width, and thickness of the patellar tendon were assessed bilaterally in 20 non-elite sport-players with unilateral painful patellar tendinopathy and 20 asymptomatic controls by a blinded assessor. Ultrasound ratios were calculated to discriminate between symptomatic and asymptomatic knees. The Ohberg score was used for characterizing neovascularization. We found that non-elite sport players with patellar tendinopathy exhibited bilateral increases in CSA, width, and thickness of the patellar tendon compared to asymptomatic controls (Cohen d > 2). The ability of ultrasound ratios to discriminate between painful and non-painful patellar tendons was excellent (receiver operating characteristic, ROC > 0.9). The best diagnostic value (sensitivity: 100% and specificity: 95%) was observed when a width ratio ≥ 1.29 between the symptomatic and asymptomatic patellar tendon was used as a cut-off. Further, neovascularization was also observed in 70% of non-elite sport players with unilateral patellar tendinopathy. A greater CSA ratio was associated with more related-disability and higher tendon neovascularization. This study reported that non-elite sport players with painful unilateral patellar tendinopathy showed structural ultrasound changes in the patellar tendon when compared with asymptomatic controls. Ultrasound ratios were able to discriminate between symptomatic and asymptomatic knees. Current results suggest that ultrasound ratios could be a useful imaging outcome for identifying changes in the patellar tendon in sport players with unilateral patellar tendinopathy.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/11/882patellar tendinopathyultrasoundcross-sectional areathicknessratios |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
José L. Arias-Buría César Fernández-de-las-Peñas Jorge Rodríguez-Jiménez Gustavo Plaza-Manzano Joshua A. Cleland Gracia M. Gallego-Sendarrubias Ibai López-de-Uralde-Villanueva |
spellingShingle |
José L. Arias-Buría César Fernández-de-las-Peñas Jorge Rodríguez-Jiménez Gustavo Plaza-Manzano Joshua A. Cleland Gracia M. Gallego-Sendarrubias Ibai López-de-Uralde-Villanueva Ultrasound Characterization of Patellar Tendon in Non-Elite Sport Players with Painful Patellar Tendinopathy: Absolute Values or Relative Ratios? A Pilot Study Diagnostics patellar tendinopathy ultrasound cross-sectional area thickness ratios |
author_facet |
José L. Arias-Buría César Fernández-de-las-Peñas Jorge Rodríguez-Jiménez Gustavo Plaza-Manzano Joshua A. Cleland Gracia M. Gallego-Sendarrubias Ibai López-de-Uralde-Villanueva |
author_sort |
José L. Arias-Buría |
title |
Ultrasound Characterization of Patellar Tendon in Non-Elite Sport Players with Painful Patellar Tendinopathy: Absolute Values or Relative Ratios? A Pilot Study |
title_short |
Ultrasound Characterization of Patellar Tendon in Non-Elite Sport Players with Painful Patellar Tendinopathy: Absolute Values or Relative Ratios? A Pilot Study |
title_full |
Ultrasound Characterization of Patellar Tendon in Non-Elite Sport Players with Painful Patellar Tendinopathy: Absolute Values or Relative Ratios? A Pilot Study |
title_fullStr |
Ultrasound Characterization of Patellar Tendon in Non-Elite Sport Players with Painful Patellar Tendinopathy: Absolute Values or Relative Ratios? A Pilot Study |
title_full_unstemmed |
Ultrasound Characterization of Patellar Tendon in Non-Elite Sport Players with Painful Patellar Tendinopathy: Absolute Values or Relative Ratios? A Pilot Study |
title_sort |
ultrasound characterization of patellar tendon in non-elite sport players with painful patellar tendinopathy: absolute values or relative ratios? a pilot study |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Diagnostics |
issn |
2075-4418 |
publishDate |
2020-10-01 |
description |
Imaging findings in patellar tendinopathy are questioned. The aim of this pilot study was to characterize ultrasound measures, by calculating ultrasound ratio and neovascularization of the patellar tendon in non-elite sport players with unilateral painful patellar tendinopathy. Cross-sectional area (CSA), width, and thickness of the patellar tendon were assessed bilaterally in 20 non-elite sport-players with unilateral painful patellar tendinopathy and 20 asymptomatic controls by a blinded assessor. Ultrasound ratios were calculated to discriminate between symptomatic and asymptomatic knees. The Ohberg score was used for characterizing neovascularization. We found that non-elite sport players with patellar tendinopathy exhibited bilateral increases in CSA, width, and thickness of the patellar tendon compared to asymptomatic controls (Cohen d > 2). The ability of ultrasound ratios to discriminate between painful and non-painful patellar tendons was excellent (receiver operating characteristic, ROC > 0.9). The best diagnostic value (sensitivity: 100% and specificity: 95%) was observed when a width ratio ≥ 1.29 between the symptomatic and asymptomatic patellar tendon was used as a cut-off. Further, neovascularization was also observed in 70% of non-elite sport players with unilateral patellar tendinopathy. A greater CSA ratio was associated with more related-disability and higher tendon neovascularization. This study reported that non-elite sport players with painful unilateral patellar tendinopathy showed structural ultrasound changes in the patellar tendon when compared with asymptomatic controls. Ultrasound ratios were able to discriminate between symptomatic and asymptomatic knees. Current results suggest that ultrasound ratios could be a useful imaging outcome for identifying changes in the patellar tendon in sport players with unilateral patellar tendinopathy. |
topic |
patellar tendinopathy ultrasound cross-sectional area thickness ratios |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/11/882 |
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