Identifying the underlying pathologies that cause a problematic TKA is often challenging. This is the first study attempting to explore the diagnostic potential of low-field weight-bearing MRI for imaging pathologies associated with a problematic TKA and compare MRI findings with clinical diagnosis, CT findings and surgical findings. In six out of the eight cases included in this study, the MRI observations were in line with the diagnosis based on the clinical work-up, and in four out of six cases, the MRI observations of malalignment, suspected loosening, and patellofemoral arthrosis were confirmed with findings during revision surgery. Only collateral laxity could not be confirmed with low-field MRI. Importantly, all MRI observations were comparable with CT or scintigraphy results. Weight-bearing MRI significantly decreased TT-TG distance measurements when compared to supine MRI. In addition, the other patellofemoral parameters showed a decreasing trend when measured in the weight-bearing condition. However, the added value of weight-bearing low-field MRI to evaluate the problematic knee could not be proven yet. Based on our study results, low-field MRI shows a comparable diagnostic value to CT regarding evaluation of the problematic TKA, but currently cannot replace the entire clinical work-up and solely diagnose all pathologies associated with the problematic TKA.
In the cases described in our study, rotational component malalignment could be diagnosed with low-field MRI. As demonstrated in the extant literature, rotational malalignment has been possible to diagnosed by means of high-field MRI [23, 24]. In this study, CT or MRI results for component malalignment were not always supported by the clinical diagnosis. This was due to the fact that not all patients with measured component malalignment had clinical complaints related to malalignment. During the evaluation of synovitis, which is related to aseptic loosening [25,26,27], the assessed low-field MRI images did show increased signal in T2 scans surrounding the tibial component, which has been associated with aseptic loosening in several high-field MRI studies [25,26,27]. However, as only one of these patients with observations of synovitis on low-field MRI underwent surgery, the clinical evidence is scarce, and more cases are needed to reach a definitive conclusion. Patellofemoral arthrosis could also be visualised with low-field MRI, as the observations were in line with the clinical diagnosis based on the bone scintigraphy and the findings during surgery. Pathologies only causing laxity could not be diagnosed based on the low-field MRI scans and were only visible on the stress radiographs. It was expected that low-field MRI would provide additional diagnostic information concerning soft-tissue problems, as MRI is the superior imaging modality to diagnose these kind of problems in the native knee [10]. Unfortunately, this could not be confirmed in the current study due to the fact that no patients with soft tissue problems, such as a tendinopathy, could be included. Results show that it is possible with low-field MRI to image the soft tissue structures surrounding the prosthetic components, which made it of potential added value when soft tissue problems are present.
When comparing the results of weight-bearing versus supine MRI, as expected, a significant decrease of the TT-TG distance was found in the weight-bearing condition. This result is in line with findings in the native knee [28] and satisfied knee after TKA, and can be explained by quadriceps loading [29]. Moreover, the results suggest a decreasing trend in patellofemoral parameters between the weight-bearing and supine conditions for the CD and the PTA. When evaluating all four patellofemoral measurements, there is a notable deviation between the measurements performed in this study and the normal values in the native knee [17, 20, 21]. However, the clinical relevance of these differences is unknown; as there are no reference values for patellofemoral parameters after TKA, no firm conclusions can be drawn between the measured patellofemoral parameters and the patients’ complaints yet. In the future, measurement and collection of patellofemoral parameters after TKA would be a possible area of study. When more data is available, normal values can be determined and perhaps patellofemoral measurement outliers in the weight-bearing condition can be related to the cause of the problematic TKA, thereby improving diagnostics.
Although the current study is the first to explore the diagnostic feasibility of low-field MRI regarding pathologies associated with the problematic knee, there are some obvious limitations. First, given the explorative character of the current study the sample size was kept limited and heterogeneous to represent the variety of reasons for the problematic TKA. If considerable differences would exist between patellofemoral measurements based on weight-bearing MRI and supine MRI, they would have been found even with a small sample size. However, in this feasibility study it is less important whether the difference found is statistically significant but much more about whether it could be of clinically relevance to the patient. Although small differences were found between patellofemoral parameters in weight-bearing and supine conditions, differences of clinical relevance were not perceived. Therefore, to be more certain about the diagnostic value of low-field MRI and the added value of weight-bearing MRI, more patients need to be scanned. The current study reveals an estimate of variability between the weight-bearing and supine positions for patellofemoral parameters, which can be used to conduct proper sample size calculations to set up clinically relevant studies in future research. Second, as radiologists are trained to assess high-field MRI scans, it was more difficult to evaluate images made on a lower field strength. Soft tissue structures, such as the popliteus tendon and the semi-membranous tendon, which are close to the posterior part of the prosthetic components, were especially challenging to distinguish. This is likely caused mainly by the reduced signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of low-field MRI, and partly due to susceptibility artefacts caused by the TKA. Since, malalignment of the tibial component affects posterior tendon tension [30], and MRI (in contrast to CT) offers the ability to image soft tissue, it would be beneficial if those structures can be visualised.
In clinical practice, a CT scan is often made when additional imaging is needed. In this study, diagnostic findings considering the problematic TKA based on the low-field MRI were interchangeable with the diagnostic findings based on CT. When comparing these two imaging modalities low-field MRI does not use any ionizing radiation, and offers the possibility to image soft tissues surrounding the prosthetic components. Since soft tissue problems are difficult to diagnose with CT, it can be expected that if soft tissue problems are present low-field MRI might make a difference. Moreover, when comparing purchasing and maintenance costs with high-field MRI, low-field MRI is just as CT by a rough estimation 3 times less expensive [31]. Hence, from a cost perspective, low-field MRI may be a realistic competitor for CT. These factors made it relevant to study whether low-field MRI could be used as a cost- efficient and effective alternative in diagnosing problems around a problematic TKA.
Currently, there is not one imaging technique capable of differential diagnosis in the problematic knee after TKA. This study focused on the diagnostic value of low-field MRI. However, when evaluating the standard clinical work-up, it is remarkable that the conventional radiographs were of added value in only two out of the eight cases. In all other cases, additional imaging by CT, bone scintigraphy or stress radiographs was needed to further diagnose the problematic TKA. Low-field MRI is an addition to the diagnostic arsenal. Low-field MRI is capable of simultaneously diagnosing different pathologies, such as malalignment, loosening and patellofemoral arthrosis. In our study, low-field MRI could not diagnose laxity and other pathologies such as soft tissue problems. Infection was not present in our population and, therefore, the efficacy of low-field MRI on these subjects remains unknown. Further research is warranted to determine the clinical and cost-effective value of low-field MRI among the current imaging arsenal in patients who are dissatisfied with their TKA.