A study of acute and chronic tissue changes in surgical and traumatically-induced experimental models of knee joint injury using magnetic resonance imaging and micro-computed tomography

Abstract

Objective The objective of this study was to monitor the progression of joint damage in two animal models of knee joint trauma using two non-invasive, clinically available imaging modalities. Methods A 3-T clinical magnet and micro-computed tomography (mCT) was used to document changes immediately following injury (acute) and post-injury (chronic) at time points of 4, 8, or 12 weeks. Joint damage was recorded at dissection and compared to the chronic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) record. Fifteen Flemish Giant rabbits were subjected to a single tibiofemoral compressive impact (ACLF), and 18 underwent a combination of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscal transection (mACLT). Results All ACLF animals experienced ACL rupture, and 13 also experienced acute meniscal damage. All ACLF and mACLT animals showed meniscal and articular cartilage damages at dissection. Meniscal damage was documented as early as 4 weeks and worsened in 87% of the ACLF animals and 71% of the mACLT animals. Acute cartilage damage also developed further and increased in occurrence with time in both models. A progressive decrease in bone quantity and quality was documented in both models. The MRI data closely aligned with dissection notes suggesting this clinical tool may be a non-invasive method for documenting joint damage in lapine models of knee joint trauma. Conclusions The study investigates the acute to chronic progression of meniscal and cartilage damage at various time points, and chronic changes to the underlying bone in two models of posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA), and highlights the dependency of the model on the location, type, and progression of damage over time.

Accelerated post traumatic osteoarthritis in a dual injury murine model

“…22 Rabbit ACL rupture models involving blunt impact trauma are available to study PTOA. 7,8,23 Whilst these models can imitate and reproduce multi-tissue damage similar to that of human knee joint impact traumas, they are limited in not being able to target and confine this trauma specifically to defined tissues within the joint in a reproducible fashion. To this end we have developed a novel dual-injury murine model specific for investigation of OA arising from simulataneous cartilage damage and joint destabilisation.…”

Effects of oral glucosamine hydrochloride and mucopolysaccharide protein in a rabbit model of osteoarthritis

“…A medial arthrotomy was performed on the right femoropatellar joint to permit ACLT . A mixture of isoflurane (Technilab, Mirabel, QC, Canada) in oxygen was administered to induce anesthesia for the surgical procedure.…”

Characterization of Post‐Traumatic Osteoarthritis in Rats Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture by Non‐Invasive Knee Injury (NIKI)

“…In the last 10 years, multiple non‐invasive ACL rupture models have been developed. These models have primarily used mice and rabbits, with a limited number of studies involving rats . Despite being relatively understudied, there are advantages to establishing this injury model in rats, such as their amenability to behavioral tests and their larger size, which can accommodate certain imaging modalities and therapeutic interventions .…”