Medial meniscal ossicles: Associated knee MRI findings in a multicenter case-control study

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Radiology
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Medial meniscal ossicles are rare bone structures within the medial meniscus.
• Their association with other knee pathologies is not well-established.
• Understanding these associations can aid in diagnosis and treatment planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the prevalence of meniscal, ligament, and cartilage lesions on knee MRI.
• To evaluate these lesions in patients with and without a medial meniscal ossicle.
• To assess the impact of medial meniscal ossicles on knee joint pathology.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 84 knee MRI examinations (42 with medial meniscal ossicle, 42 age/sex-matched controls).
• Two blinded radiologists assessed meniscal, ligament, and cartilage lesions.
• Prevalence and severity of lesions were compared between the two groups.

Main Results:

• Knees with medial meniscal ossicles showed significantly higher rates of medial meniscal posterior root tears (60-76%) and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) lesions (48-57%).
• A greater degree of medial femoro-tibial cartilage degradation was observed in knees with medial meniscal ossicles.
• Specific lesion locations included the posterior root, posterior horn, and body of the medial meniscus.

Conclusions:

• Medial meniscal ossicles are associated with a higher frequency of medial posterior root tears and ACL lesions.
• Knees with medial meniscal ossicles demonstrate increased medial femoro-tibial cartilage degradation.
• MRI findings highlight the link between medial meniscal ossicles and significant knee joint pathology.