الفهرس 
Medial meniscusOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
We examined 150 patients suffering from knee trauma using 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner. The commonest presentations were pain with loss of full range of motion and swelling of the affected joint.The protocol for imaging was T2WI in sagittal plane, sagittal & coronal proton density with fat saturation and axial gradient weighted images.The results were compared with the arthroscopic findings in 52 patients out of the 150 patients. Arthroscopy of the knee were used to document the presence, location and type of the lesions. The remaining 98 patients performed arthroscopy in other centers and could not be followed up.As MRI has the ability to demonstrate the soft tissues with high resolution, it can define and detect the site and type of meniscal and ligamentous lesions.ACL & PCL were easily demonstrated by sagittal images through the intercondylar notch, while the tibial and fibular collateral ligaments were evaluated on coronal images.The cruciate ligaments were considered torn on MR imaging if they appeared thickened with abnormal high signal intensity or were not seen in their normal anatomical position.Tears of the ACL were detected in 41 patients (27.4%) while PCL tear was detected in 4 patients (2.6%).MR imaging proved to be highly sensitive in the evaluation of meniscal tears or degenerative changes. The lesions of medial and lateral menisci can be evaluated properly on either coronal or sagittal images.Intrameniscal high signal intensity area communicating with the meniscal articular surface is considered as a meniscal tear.MM tears were the commonest in this study especially of its posterior horn and these were detected in 91 patients (60.6. %), while LM tears were detected in 60 patients (43 %).As regards the degenerative meniscal lesions, MR imaging proved to be an efficient diagnostic technique by the demonstration of different grades of meniscal degeneration.We had 19 meniscal degenerations, and there was high incidence of PHMM degeneration (in 12 patients) and five patients had AHLM degenarations. Most of the degenerations are of grade II (13 lesions).Popliteal cysts were detected in five patients, but meniscal cysts associated with complex tears were demonstrated in 4 patients.M.R. imaging has the ability to demonstrate posttraumatic bony lesions not detected on plain radiography.Twenty-one patients presented with acute knee trauma proved to have bone marrow bruises; 16 associated with ACL tears and five with collateral ligaments tears.We have also bone fractures in three patients; one with fracture patella and two with tibial plateau fractures In comparison with invasive diagnostic arthroscopy, MR imaging proved to be useful as a non invasive diagnostic method of suspected traumatic meniscal and cruciate ligament lesions of the knee. It has excellent soft tissue contrast, lacking exposure to ionizing radiation and can be used in acute cases of ligamentous injury, as it does not require manipulation of the joint.MR imaging is likely of very similar accuracy in diagnosing tears of cruciate ligaments and menisci.The results in this study suggest a valuable role for MR imaging in the evaluation of traumatic knee joint disorders. The availability of MR imaging, improvement in techniques and increasing experience may make this diagnostic modality replace invasive diagnostic arthroscopy.