title: Influence of magnetic resonance imaging on a knee arthroscopy waiting list.
abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were performed on 155 patients who had been placed on a diagnostic knee arthroscopy waiting list 4 to 18 months previously. In all, 32 per cent were removed from the waiting list following this investigation. A total of 24 patients on the waiting list improved spontaneously, including 13 per cent of those with MRI-demonstrable meniscal tears. MRI had an accuracy of 93 per cent, a sensitivity of 100 per cent and a specificity of 67 per cent using arthroscopy as a standard; the false-positive rate was 7 per cent and the false-negative rate 1 per cent. It is concluded that the use of MRI can reduce the requirements for diagnostic arthroscopy, but that the ideal time for MRI is not clear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Taunton and Somerset Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Warwick
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cavanagh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Marsh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000191:economics; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007594:Joint Loose Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries; D006113:United Kingdom; D014850:Waiting Lists