Association between insall-salvati index and anterior cruciate ligament tears: A cross-sectional study

Aim: There are many studies in the literature presenting morphological predisposing factors of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. Insall-Salvati index (ISI), which is widely used to measure patellar height, was investigated as a predisposing risk factor for the ruptures of ACL. Material and Methods: Patellar tendon length (PTL), Patellar length (PL), and anterior tibial translation (ATT) were measured, and ISI values were calculated for the study and control groups. Knee magnetic resonance (MR) images of 33 patients who had undergone ACL reconstruction due to ruptured ACL, which is surgically confirmed (study group), and 90 patients who had undergone meniscus operation with surgically confirmed intact ACL (control group) were reinterpreted by two reviewers in terms of ISI and ATT values. Independent samples T-test was used to compare the results of the study and control groups. Additionally, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values were presented to verify the interobserver difference between reviewers. Results: PTL, ATT, and ISI values showed a statistically significant difference, and higher values were obtained in the study group than in the control group (p<0,001). There was excellent agreement between reviewers regarding PTL, PL, ISI, and ATT measurements. Discussion: ISI had been used as an indicator of patellar dislocation. In this research, ISI was investigated to be in a relationship with ACL injuries in operated patients. The results of this study indicated higher ISI values in patients with ACL rupture. High ISI values might be a predisposing factor for ACL rupture and may be used in preventive medicine in terms of ACL injuries.