The plica syndrome: diagnostic value of MRI with arthroscopic correlation.
OBJECTIVE
Our goal was to evaluate the diagnostic value of MRI in plica syndrome.


METHODS
MR images of a patient group (n = 55) with arthroscopically confirmed pathologic mediopatellar plicae were retrospectively analyzed and compared with those of a control group (n = 100). We obtained axial multiplanar gradient-recalled (MPGR), axial T1-weighted, and sagittal T2-weighted MR images. MR images were assessed for the width and length of all medial plicae.


RESULTS
In the diagnosis of plica syndrome, sensitivity and specificity were 73 and 78% on axial MPGR images, 71 and 83% on sagittal T2-weighted images, and 95 and 72% on combination of both images, respectively. The incidence of pathologic medial plica increased with a criterion of extension beyond the medial end of the patella on axial MPGR images.


CONCLUSIONS
MRI is a useful screening method in the diagnosis of plica syndrome.
Jee
W H
WH
Department of Radiology, Catholic University Medical College, Seoul, Korea.
Choe
B Y
BY
Kim
J M
JM
Song
H H
HH
Choi
K H
KH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013577:Syndrome; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000473:pathology*