Abstract
The study aimed to investigate the prognosis of osteochondral affection (e. g., osteochondritis
dissecans (OCD), cartilage lesions, fractures and bone edema in the elbows of high-performance
gymnasts (n=30) compared to prognosis results with athletes not undergoing excessive
stress on the upper extremity (n=29). The study also tested a novel isotropic 3D-FSE-sequence
(CUBE) technique as an early diagnostic modality. Standard protocol was used to conduct
the MRI examinations, which were then compared to results from the CUBE – sequence.
The gymnast group (p=0.012) presented a significantly higher prevalence of complaints
in the elbow joint compared to the other athlete group. Furthermore, osteochondral
lesions in MRIs appeared more frequently in the group of gymnasts (n=10, 33%, p=0.033),
including 7 cases (23%) of OCD. In the control athlete group 2 asymptomatic cases
of OCD and one case of bone edema were detected. The MRI investigation with the CUBE
– sequence showed similar results as the standard MRI protocol in terms of the diagnosis
sensitivity. The current study indicates that juvenile gymnasts are at a higher risk
for osteochondral lesions of the elbow than athletes without excessive stress on the
upper extremities.
Key words
Osteochondrosis dissecans - capittelum - high-performing gymnasts - MRI - risk factors
