Buffalo Horn Sign - A New Finding on MRI for Meniscal Bucket-Handle Tears

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Radiology
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Bucket-handle meniscal tears are common knee injuries.
• Accurate MRI interpretation is crucial for diagnosis and treatment planning.
• Identifying specific MRI signs can improve diagnostic accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel MRI sign, the buffalo horn pattern, observed on axial images.
• To evaluate the prevalence and significance of this sign in bucket-handle meniscal tears.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 28 patients with surgically confirmed bucket-handle meniscal tears.
• Review of axial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to identify the buffalo horn pattern.
• Correlation of the buffalo horn sign with other MRI findings and clinical data.

Main Results:

• The buffalo horn pattern was identified in 46.4% of patients with bucket-handle meniscal tears.
• This sign was associated with other indicators of displaced meniscal tears.
• The buffalo horn sign was not observed in healthy menisci or in the presence of anterior cruciate ligament tears.

Conclusions:

• The buffalo horn pattern is a newly identified, easily recognizable sign on axial MRI for displaced bucket-handle meniscal tears.
• Recognition of this sign is important for accurate diagnosis and surgical strategy development.
• This finding enhances the diagnostic utility of MRI in evaluating meniscal pathology.