[The value of meniscus sonography of the knee joint]

In each of 73 patients with acute knee injuries, both menisci were examined by means of 7.5-MHz sector-scan sonography before arthroscopy was performed. In 87% of the cases the sonographic and arthroscopic diagnoses were identical. The results were better for the lateral meniscus. Overall, the sensitivity was 80% and the specificity, 90%. False-positive and false-negative results each accounted for 6%. In this series there was no correlation between the accuracy of the sonographic diagnosis and the type of meniscal lesion or its location within the meniscus.