Magnetic resonance diagnosis of meniscal tears in patients with acute anterior cruciate ligament tears.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of meniscal tear in patients with acute anterior cruciate ligament tears.


METHODS
Magnetic resonance images obtained from 41 patients imaged within 6 weeks of injury who had acute anterior cruciate ligament tears identified at arthroscopy were retrospectively reviewed for meniscal tear.


RESULTS
With MR imaging the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for diagnosing meniscal tears in the presence of acute anterior cruciate ligament tears were 71%, 93%, and 88%; for the lateral meniscal tears were 57%, 100% and 85%; and for the medial meniscal tears were 100%, 88%, 90%. All false negative cases (n = 6) involved the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus.


CONCLUSIONS
In the presence of acute anterior cruciate ligament tears, MRI imaging has relatively low sensitivity for detecting meniscal tears due to missed tears in the lateral meniscus.
Jee
Won-Hee
WH
Department of Radiology, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seochu-gu, Seoul, Korea. whjee@catholic.ac.kr
McCauley
Thomas R
TR
Kim
Jung-Man
JM
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000473:pathology*; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries