MR assessment of movement and morphologic change in the menisci during knee flexion.
OBJECTIVE
To examine movement and morphologic alteration in the menisci during knee flexion.


METHODS
Twenty healthy knees were imaged at 0 degrees, 45 degrees, and 90 degrees of passive non-weight-bearing flexion in the sagittal plane with MR. In each meniscus, posterior movement distance during knee flexion and the ratio of anteroposterior (a.p.) diameter at flexion to that at extension were calculated.


RESULTS
Each meniscus moved posteriorly during knee flexion. Movement was greater in the anterior horn than in the posterior horn, and greater in the medial meniscus than in the lateral meniscus (p<0.05). The a.p. diameter of each meniscus was reduced at flexion (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Knee flexion normally leads to posterior movement and shortening of the a.p. diameter of the menisci, which may be related to the positioning and curvature of femoral condyles at the femorotibial contact point at knee flexion.
Kawahara
Y
Y
Department of Radiology, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Japan.
Uetani
M
M
Fuchi
K
K
Eguchi
H
H
Hayashi
K
K
D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric