Quantitative Analysis of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound That Can Be Used to Evaluate Angiogenesis during Patellar Tendon Healing in Rats

Table 1

Summary of ultrasonic, histologic, and biomechanical assessment in the control, day 7, 14, and 28 (Mean ± SD).

Measurements	Control	Day 7	Day 14	Day 28	value
Maximum thickness (mm)	0.67 ± 0.10	2.20 ± 0.59	2.31 ± 0.35	2.31 ± 0.28	<0.001
PI (AU, ×10^−8)	3.16 ± 0.22	11.19 ± 2.14	6.18 ± 1.68	4.15 ± 0.74	<0.001
AUC (AU.s, ×10^−8)	—	440.10 ± 359.06	270.90 ± 259.28	132.90 ± 142.72	0.053
TTP (s)	—	4.15 ± 0.74	4.91 ± 2.54	9.22 ± 7.37	0.132
Slope (AU/s, ×10^−8)	—	17.91 ± 48.16	4.19 ± 4.08	1.57 ± 1.79	0.061
Microvessel diameter (μm)	—	6.97 ± 3.13	6.68 ± 4.07	7.05 ± 2.47	0.068
CD31 area (%)	0.06 ± 0.03	1.31 ± 0.49	0.62 ± 0.31	0.38 ± 0.33	<0.001
Failure load (N)	60.15 ± 13.77	17.38 ± 8.02	34.33 ± 10.25	55.58 ± 17.70	<0.001
Tensile strength (MPa)	5.57 ± 2.27	0.72 ± 0.57	2.37 ± 1.42	5.27 ± 2.87	<0.001

This value was the mean (±SD) of the highest values of the BI.