MRI Assesses Athletes’ Groin Injuries

Standardized magnetic resonance imaging assessment of acute groin injuries shows good intra- and inter-rater reproducibility among athletes with acute groin pain, according to a study published in European Radiology.

Researchers from Denmark performed a prospective study to assess the use of multi-dimensional MRI assessment among 75 competitive male athletes (mean age 36.6), focusing on acute musculotendinous groin lesion.

The athletes had presented within seven days of acute onset of sports-related groin pain. All athletes underwent MRI to evaluate the following muscles:

• Adductors

• Iliopsoas

• Obturator internus

• Rectus abdominis

• Rectus femoris

• Sartorius

• Tensor fasciae latae

• Vastus medialis[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_crop","fid":"50708","attributes":{"alt":"MRI","class":"media-image media-image-right","id":"media_crop_2544722887331","media_crop_h":"0","media_crop_image_style":"-1","media_crop_instance":"6211","media_crop_rotate":"0","media_crop_scale_h":"0","media_crop_scale_w":"0","media_crop_w":"0","media_crop_x":"0","media_crop_y":"0","style":"height: 128px; width: 171px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; margin: 1px; float: right;","title":"©nav/Shutterstock.com","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]]

The results showed 85 different acute lesions, the most common being adductor lungus lesions (42.7%), followed by rectus femoris lesions (16.3%). Nineteen types of nonacute lesions were detected; the most common was bone marrow edema, present in at least one side in 55% of the subject group. The researchers also found central disk protrusions/superior osteophytes and perisymphyseal sclerosis.

“A standardized MRI assessment approach of acute groin injuries was described and showed good intra- and inter-rater reproducibility,” the researchers concluded.