[3-dimensional sonography in the diagnosis of meniscal lesions. An experimental and clinical study]

There is no consensus regarding the clinical significance of conventional two-dimensional ultrasound in the diagnosis of meniscal tears of the knee. Three-dimensional ultrasound spatially reconstructs a transparent image of subsequent ultrasound scans. In an experimental study of 96 menisci, radial and oblique tears were detected more often by three-dimensional ultrasound. In a clinical study of 60 menisci the two- and three-dimensional ultrasound reached a sensitivity of 92% and 100%, a specificity of 83% and 88%, a positive predictive value of 58% and 67%, and a negative predictive value of 98% and 100%, respectively. Altogether, there was no statistically significant difference between both methods. The high negative predictive value, however, shows that the three-dimensional ultrasound may be a clinically relevant examination for special questions in the diagnostics of meniscal tears.