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Magnetic resonance imaging findings after rectus femoris transfer surgery

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Abstract

We describe the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging appearance of the knee flexor and extensor tendons after bilateral rectus femoris transfer and hamstring lengthening surgery in five patients (10 limbs) with cerebral palsy. Three-dimensional models of the path of the transferred tendon were constructed in all cases. MR images of the transferred and lengthened tendons were examined and compared with images from ten non-surgical subjects. The models showed that the path of the transferred rectus femoris tendon had a marked angular deviation near the transfer site in all cases. MR imaging demonstrated irregular areas of low signal intensity near the transferred rectus femoris and around the hamstrings in all subjects. Eight of the ten post-surgical limbs showed evidence of fluid near or around the transferred or lengthened tendons. This was not observed in the non-surgical subjects. Thus, MR imaging of patients with cerebral palsy after rectus femoris transfer and hamstring-lengthening surgery shows evidence of signal intensity and contour changes, even several years after surgery.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the Rehabilitation Research and Development Service and the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, the National Institutes of Health (grants HD38962, T32 GM63495), the Motion Analysis Lab at Shriners Hospitals for Children Northern California, the Whitaker Foundation, and graduate fellowships from the National Science Foundation, the Whitaker Foundation, and the American Association of University Women.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Garry E. Gold

  2. Room 222, Packard EE Building, Stanford, CA 94305-9510, USA

    Garry E. Gold

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Deanna S. Asakawa, Silvia S. Blemker & Scott L. Delp

  4. Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Scott L. Delp

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  1. Garry E. Gold
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  2. Deanna S. Asakawa
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  3. Silvia S. Blemker
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  4. Scott L. Delp
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Correspondence to Garry E. Gold.

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This work was presented at the ISS Special Scientific Session 2002, Geneva

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Gold, G.E., Asakawa, D.S., Blemker, S.S. et al. Magnetic resonance imaging findings after rectus femoris transfer surgery. Skeletal Radiol 33, 34–40 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-003-0702-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-003-0702-5

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