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Magnetic resonance imaging of meniscal lesions of the knee

E P van Heuzen1, R P Golding, T E van Zanten

  • 1Department of Radiology, Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Clinical Radiology
|November 1, 1988
PubMed

Insights

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reliably detects meniscal tears in symptomatic knees, showing no false negatives. However, MRI had six false positives, primarily in the posterior medial meniscus, and long scan times limit its clinical use.

Area of Science:

  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Radiology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Meniscal tears are common knee injuries.
  • Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive imaging technique.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of MRI for detecting meniscal tears.
  • To compare MRI findings with arthroscopy and double contrast arthrography.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study of 25 patients with symptomatic knees.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed.
  • Arthroscopy and double contrast arthrography served as comparison standards.

Main Results:

  • MRI demonstrated no false negative results when compared to arthroscopy and arthrography.
  • Six false positive MRI findings were observed, specifically in the posterior horn of the medial meniscus.
  • MRI showed high reliability in identifying meniscal tears.

Conclusions:

  • MRI is a reliable tool for diagnosing meniscal tears in symptomatic knees.
  • The specificity of MRI may be limited in detecting posterior medial meniscus abnormalities.
  • Extended MRI examination times pose a challenge for widespread clinical application.

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