Arthrometry and stress imaging are useful clinical tools for the objective assessment of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) integrity. They are most frequently used for the diagnosis of a complete ACL tear when other workup is equivocal, in conjunction with history and clinical exam findings. Other applications include the diagnosis of partial ACL tears, injury prognosis, and post-operative monitoring. However, further studies are needed to validate these uses. Many different devices and techniques exist for objective examination, which have been compared in recent literature. Reliability and validity measures of these methods vary, and often depend upon examiner familiarity and skill. The KT series of devices is the current gold standard for arthrometry, although the newer robotic GNRB device shows promising early results. Newer methods of data interpretation have been developed for stress imaging, and portable technology may impact this field further.
Keywords: ACL; Arthrometry; Injury; Knee; Sports medicine; Stress imaging.