A single-tendon semitendinosus autograft results in lower magnetic resonance imaging graft signal compared with a dual tendon autograft: Outcomes from a subgroup of patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in the DOSTAR randomized con

Study Summary

38 patients from the Dual Or Single Tendon Anterior cruciate ligament Reconstruction (DOSTAR) randomized controlled trial who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) were analyzed, including 18 treated with a single-tendon semitendinosus (ST) autograft and 20 treated with a dual-tendon semitendinosus-gracilis (STG) autograft. Outcomes included MRI signal intensity ratio across 6 graft regions, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores, Lysholm scores, Cincinnati scores, and KT-1000–measured laxity at 6 and 12 months. The ST group demonstrated lower graft signal intensity across all regions. However, patient-reported outcomes and graft laxity were similar between groups. These findings suggest that ST may demonstrate more advanced MRI graft maturation without compromising short-term clinical outcomes.