Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39968411›Full record

ArticleOrthopaedic journal of sports medicine2025

Novel Noninvasive Imaging Techniques to Assess Structural, Functional, and Material Properties of Tendon, Ligament, and Cartilage: A Narrative Review of Current Concepts.

Julia S Retzky, Matthew F Koff, Ogonna K Nwawka, Scott A Rodeo

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Julia S RetzkyHospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York, USA.
Matthew F KoffHospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6969-0183
Ogonna K NwawkaHospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6085-7354
Scott A RodeoHospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0745-9880

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Novel noninvasive imaging modalities such as quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) and shear wave elastography (SWE) allow for assessment of soft tissue microstructure and composition, which ultimately may be associated with functional and material properties. Purpose: To provide a narrative review of the scientific techniques and clinical applications of qMRI and SWE for the evaluation of soft tissue about the knee and shoulder, including the meniscus, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), and the rotator cuff. Study Design: Review. Methods: A literature search was performed in October 2022 via PubMed using the following keywords: "quantitative MRI tendon," quantitative MRI ligament,""quantitative MRI cartilage," or "shear wave elastography tendon." Only articles related to clinical applications were included in this review. Results: Conventional imaging techniques, including standard morphologic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound imaging, have limited ability to evaluate the material and functional properties of soft tissue; qMRI builds on the limitations of conventional morphologic MRI by allowing for detection of early articular cartilage changes, differentiation of healed versus unhealed meniscal tissue, and quantification of ACL graft maturity. SWE can evaluate the material properties of rotator cuff and Achilles tendons after injury, which may provide insight into both the chronicity and the healing status of the aforementioned injuries. Conclusion: Our review of the literature showed that quantitative imaging techniques, including qMRI and SWE, may both improve early detection of pathology and aid in comprehensive evaluation after treatment.

Indexed as

cartilageligamentquantitative magnetic resonance imageshear wave elastographytendon

Identifiers

PMID39968411
PMCPMC11833890

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.