Prospective study of the feasibility of using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for the diagnosis of pathology of the cruciate ligaments of the knee joint

   Introduction. The knee joint is the largest and most structurally and biomechanically complex joint, which makes it the most vulnerable component of the musculoskeletal system. Injuries to the knee joint account for approximately 50% of all joint injuries in the human body. Damage to the capsuloligamentous apparatus of the knee joint is the most common, which determines the relevance of this problem. Timely recognition of the presence and severity of cruciate ligament pathology is essential for determining the optimal treatment strategy, including surgical reconstruction.

   Aim of the study. To assess the feasibility of using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy as a diagnostic method for detecting insufficiency of the knee joint cruciate ligaments.

   Materials and methods. The study objects were explanted cruciate ligaments of the knee joint obtained from patients undergoing elective primary total knee arthroplasty. Tissue harvesting was performed together with bone blocks at the sites of cruciate ligament attachment. In the preoperative period, all patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging with assessment of cruciate ligament status using the ACLOAS scale. Ligament integrity was evaluated prior to harvesting using the AAOS classification. Subsequently, the explants were examined using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in the near-infrared (800–1050 nm) and mid-infrared (1050–1800 nm) spectral ranges.

   Results. In the near-infrared range at a wavelength of 910 nm, statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were identified among the measured parameters for all three grades of ligament injury severity according to the AAOS classification. In the mid-infrared range, within 1050–1200 nm, a highly statistically significant difference was observed between the mean values of grade I and grade II ligament injuries according to AAOS (p < 0.0001).

   Conclusion. Data analysis demonstrated that diffuse reflectance spectroscopy is a promising diagnostic tool for differentiating stages of cruciate ligament pathology of the knee joint.

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