MRI findings prior to return to play as predictors of reinjury in professional athletes: a novel decision-making tool

Insights into Imaging

Original Article

Javier Martínez¹  Carles Pedret¹  Xavier Alomar²  Xavier Tomas³  Jaime Isern-Kebschull³  Sandra Mechó⁴  Ricard Pruna⁵  Xavier Yanguas⁵  Xavier Valle⁵  Gil Rodas⁶  Ara Kassarjian⁷ 

[1] Clínica Diagonal, Barcelona, Spain;Department of Radiology, Centres Mèdics Creu Blanca, Barcelona, Spain;Department of Radiology, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, C/Villarroel 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain;Department of Radiology, Hospital de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain;FCBarcelona Medical Department, Barcelona, Spain;FCBarcelona Medical Department, Barcelona, Spain;Medicine Sport Unit, Hospital Clínic-Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain;Musculoskeletal Radiology, Elite Sports Imaging, SL, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain;

关键词: Magnetic resonance imaging;    Return to play;    Muscle injuries;    Reinjury;    Healing process;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13244-022-01341-1

 received in 2022-06-22, accepted in 2022-11-20,  发布年份 2022

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundBecause MRI has shown great accuracy in assessing acute muscle injuries, identification of risk factors for reinjury before return to play (RTP) in professional athletes during the healing process could be very relevant. We assessed the value of MRI findings prior to RTP as predictors of reinjury.MethodsRetrospective observational study of 59 professional athletes, mean age 26 years, with first-time acute muscle injury and successful rehabilitation ready to RTP. They underwent MRI within 6 days of the injury and within 7 days prior to RTP. The primary outcome was reinjury. Risk of reinjury was assessed using radiological signs in control MRI scans before RTP. The risk was classified as low, medium or high when none, one or two radiological signs were observed, respectively.ResultsReinjury occurred in 9 participants, with a rate of 15.2%. None of the baseline MRI-related variables was significantly associated with reinjury. In the control MRI scan performed within 7 days prior to RTP, three independent findings were significantly associated with reinjury. These included transversal and/or mixed connective tissue gap (p = 0.002), intermuscular oedema (p = 0.015) and callus gap (p = 0.046). In the predictive model of the risk of reinjury, the presence of two of these radiological signs, together with interstitial feathery oedema, was associated with a high risk of recurrence (OR 29.58, 95% CI 3.86–226.64; p = 0.001).ConclusionsIn professional athletes with acute muscle injuries of the lower limbs successfully rehabilitated, some radiological signs on MRI performed shortly before RTP were associated with a high risk of reinjury.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2022

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