Abstract
Diagnostic and therapeutic advancements have improved clinical outcomes for patients
with focal chondral injuries of the knee. An increased number and complexity of surgical
treatment options have, in turn, resulted in a commensurate proliferation of patients
requiring postoperative evaluation and management. In addition to patient-reported
clinical outcomes, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers clinicians with noninvasive,
objective data to assist with postoperative clinical decision making. However, successful
MRI interpretation in this setting is clinically challenging; it relies upon an understanding
of the evolving and procedure-specific nature of normal postoperative imaging. Moreover,
further research is required to better elucidate the correlation between MRI findings
and long-term clinical outcomes. This article focuses on how specific morphologic
features identified on MRI can be utilized to evaluate patients following the most
commonly performed cartilage repair surgeries of the knee.
Keywords
MRI - microfracture - autologous osteochondral transplantation - osteochondral allograft
- autologous chondrocyte implantation - chondral - radiology
