Özen, Ü.; Anil, A.; Ömeroglu, S.; Peker, T.; Coskun, Z. K. & Anil F. Liman

Summary

The aim of this study was to examine and compare fetal and adult knee and elbow joint ligaments and determine histologically how these ligaments change over time. In addition, the images of fetal and adult joint ligaments were examined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study was conducted on 10 male fetus ranging from ages 14 to 17.5 weeks, two adult male cadavers obtained from Gazi University Faculty of Medicine Department of Anatomy and MR images of the knee and elbow regions of 10 male adults obtained from Atatürk Educational and Research Hospital between 2009 and 2011. In the present study, the sections taken from knee and elbow of ten 14­17.5 week old fetuses and the ligaments of tissue taken from the knee and elbow of two male cadavers using the same method of dissection were monitored. After monitoring tissue, microtome sections taken from paraffin-embedded structures were stained using the Masson-Trichrom and Orcein-Picroindigocarmine staining method. These sections were examined under a microscope and photographed. The images of 17 week old fetuses and the knee and elbow of the adults were obtained with MRI. The differences detected between adult and fetus ligaments consisted of fibroblast density and collagen thickness, density and waves. Although the fetus ligaments were not seen sufficiently with 1.5 Tesla (T) MR, they were seen very clearly with 3 T MR. Structural differences between adult and fetal ligaments revealed in histological and MRI images.

KEY WORDS: Knee ligaments; Elbow ligaments; Magnetic resonance; Collagen fibers; Fibroblast.

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