title: The meniscus in knee osteoarthritis.
abstract: The meniscus is a critical tissue in the healthy knee joint because of its shock absorption and load distribution properties. Meniscal damage is a frequent finding on MRI of the osteoarthritis (OA) knee. The damage appears as horizontal, flap, or complex tears; meniscal maceration; or destruction. Asymptomatic meniscal lesions are common incidental findings on knee MRI of the middle-aged or older person. This challenges the health professional in choosing the best treatment. A meniscal tear can lead to knee OA, but knee OA can also lead to a spontaneous meniscal tear. A degenerative meniscal lesion often suggests early-stage knee OA. Surgical resection of nonobstructive degenerate lesions may merely remove evidence of the disorder while the OA and associated symptoms proceed.
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Sciences, Department of Orthopedics, Klinikgatan 22, Lund University Hospital, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden. martin.englund@med.lu.se
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Englund
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guermazi
authors.forename: L Stefan
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Lohmander
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D011859:Radiography