[Proton spin tomography in meniscus diagnosis]

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an excellent method of examining the meniscus with an accuracy of about 91-94% for the median meniscus and 88.4-100% for the lateral meniscus in T1-weighted images. The precision of the diagnosis can be increased to 100% by the use of paramagnetic contrast medium (gadolinium DTPA), as was shown by the evaluation of 170 knee joints. The reason it is difficult to evaluate the meniscus without contrast medium is a residual meniscus or regenerated meniscus. We are therefore dramatically able to reduce the number of diagnostic arthroscopies for evaluation of the meniscus.