Skip to main content

Table 2 MRI definition of terms and categorisation of variables

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

Variables

Evaluation

Category

MRI findings

Connective tissue tear (tendon, raphe, septa and aponeurosis)

Orientation of the disruption respect to the longitudinal axis of the tendon

Absent

Transversal

Longitudinal

Mixed

Hyperintense gap on T2-weighted images with clear loss of connective tissue continuity

Loss of tendon tension (wavy sign)

Location of irregularity of the tendon

Absent

Present

Loss of longitudinal alignment in the tendon in the form of an undulating (wavy) pattern

Muscle fibres tear

Presence of a measurable gap

Absent

Present

Hyperintense gap on T2 with clear loss of muscle fibres continuity

Isolated (between fibres) or in the myoconnective interface, and at this last level associated with gaps of connective tissue

Loss of pennation angle

Anchorage of muscle fibres

Absent

Present

Loss of anchorage of the muscular fibres with the connective tissue

Oedema Intramuscular

High signal intensity within the muscle on fluid sensitive sequences

Adaptive (cotton-like pattern)

Feathery oedema (dissecting the Interstitial space between muscle fibres)

Muscle area of low to intermediate signal intensity on T1-weighted images and high signal intensity on fluid sensitive sequences

Feathery pattern: oedema that dissects the interstitial space between muscle fibres

Cotton-like pattern: more diffuse and poorly defined without architectural muscle distortion

Oedema Intermuscular

Intermuscular fluid on fluid sensitive sequences

Absent

Present

Presence of fluid in the intermuscular space

Improvement in oedema

Total or partial radiological regression of intramuscular and/or intermuscular oedema

Yes

No

Decrease in the extent of the both forms of oedema in control MRI prior to RTP as compared with baseline MRI

Scar tissue

Morphology of scar tissue

Hypertrophic

Elongated

Round

Fusiform

Thickness greater than myoconnective environment (hypertrophic)

The morphology of the callus is given by its thickening in the longitudinal plane (fusiform), in the axial plane (rounded) or uniform with respect to the intact tendon (elongated)

 

Maturation of scar tissue

Immature

Mature

A T2 hyperintense centre surrounded by a very thin hypointense peripheral line (immature), progressive filling in and losing signal

Formation of hard callus with low signal in both T1- and T2-weighted images (mature)

 

Callus gap (disruption)

Absent

Present

Persistence or appearance of hyperintense gap on T2-weigthed images with clear transversal loss of its continuity