MedPix® Patient Chart - Case No: 5014 :: - Review Images

30 y.o. man with chronic left knee pain after an injury

No exam or lab findings available

- Review Images for PT: 5014

1) This is a T2 weighted coronal image of the Left knee with fat saturation showing abnormal signal in the medial meniscus which clearly contacts the articular surface. This is consistent with a meniscal tear. Also note edema surrounding the lateral collateral ligament (sprain).

2) This Sagittal proton density image of the left knee reveals linear abnormal signal in the posterior horn of the medial meniscus

- Review Images for PT: 5014

Knee, medial meniscus tear

- Review Images for PT: 5014

Dx: Meniscal Tear (radiologic and athroscopic confirmation)

Dx Confirmed by: Imaging and arthroscopic surgery

- Read

This patient was treated with a partial meniscectomy via arthroscopy

Meniscal tears are common injuries in both the sport and non-sport population with acutely torn menisci cases numbering at 61 per 100,000. (1) The medial meniscus is the more commonly torn than the lateral meniscus in sports injuries where the mechanism for injury “is a compressive, rotational, and shearing force.” (1)
MRI is reported to have a 95% accuracy of detection rate for meniscal tears, but studies note that this number also depands on magnetic field strength of the scanners. (1)
The key to diagnosing meniscal tears on MRI is by noting abnormal signal in the meniscus. Nevertheless, the abnormal signal must clearly touch the inferior or superior articular surface to call a tear on MRI. Note that a normal meniscus can have some signal within it. Tears that have minimal symptoms can be left without treatment, but oftentimes tears are treated at the time of arthroscopy with shaving or debridement.

References:

1) Ruddy, Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology, 6th ed., Copyright 2001 W. B. Saunders Company, pp. 447-448

Meniscal tears are common injuries in both the sport and non-sport population with acutely torn menisci cases numbering at 61 per 100,000. (1) The medial meniscus is the more commonly torn than the lateral meniscus in sports injuries where the mechanism for injury “is a compressive, rotational, and shearing force.” (1)

MRI is reported to have a 95% accuracy of detection rate for meniscal tears, but studies note that this number also depends on magnetic field strength of the scanners. (1)

The key to diagnosing meniscal tears on MRI is by noting abnormal signal in the meniscus. Nevertheless, the abnormal signal must clearly touch the inferior or superior articular surface to call a tear on MRI. Note that a normal meniscus can have some signal within it. Tears that have minimal symptoms can be left without treatment, but oftentimes tears are treated at the time of arthroscopy with shaving or debridement.

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