Quantifying Patellar Tendon Microstructure Using DTI

Last updated: February 13, 2025
Sponsor: University of Wisconsin, Madison
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

N/A

Condition

Tendon Injuries

Sprains

Treatment

MRI

Neuromuscular electric stimulation (NMES)

Ultrasound (US)

Clinical Study ID

NCT06381492
2024-0057
Protocol Version 11/20/2023
Protocol Version 10/22/2024
Protocol Version 7/26/2024
A536130
SMPH/ORTHO&REHAB/PHYS THER
Protocol Version 4/29/2024
  • Ages > 18
  • All Genders
  • Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Summary

The goal of this observational study is to understand how diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) relates to other traditional measures and knee function. The main question it aims to answer is:

Will regions of known patellar tendon pathology present with smaller DTI scalar parameters, shorter fiber length, and lower fiber density compared to the contralateral tendon and healthy regions in the ipsilateral tendon.

Participants will:

  • undergo MRI and ultrasound imaging

  • perform knee function test

  • complete questionnaires

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18 or older

  • Have patellar tendon injury as confirmed through subjective report, clinicalexamination, and ultrasound by an experienced physical therapist

  • Patellar tendinopathy group must present with current symptoms of patellartendinopathy

  • Control group must have no history of patellar tendon injury

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participants with a history of invasive procedures other than bone-patellartendon-bone (BPTB) autograft harvest to the patellar tendon or extensor mechanism

  • Participants with history of contralateral BPTB autograft harvest, or ACLR using anyother graft type

  • Participants with contraindications to MRI

  • Participants with contraindications to NMES

Study Design

Total Participants: 80
Treatment Group(s): 3
Primary Treatment: MRI
Phase:
Study Start date:
May 21, 2024
Estimated Completion Date:
December 31, 2025

Study Description

Patellar tendon injuries are commonly accompanied by macrostructural alterations captured on common imaging modalities, and the extent of these alterations correlate to knee joint function. Evidence for using tendon macrostructure for diagnosis and prognosis of tendon injuries is not as clear, suggesting that these imaging modalities are not providing a complete picture of the alterations. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography can quantify tendon microstructures that underlie the alterations in pathological tendons and shows promising results in healthy tendons. This study is the first step in evaluating whether tendon microstructure captured using DTI technology can be applied as a biomarker to optimize treatment for patellar tendon injuries.

Connect with a study center

  • University of Wisconsin - Madison

    Madison, Wisconsin 53705
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

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