Fat-suppressed volume isotropic turbo spin echo acquisition (VISTA) MR imaging in evaluating radial and root tears of the meniscus: focusing on reader-defined axial reconstruction.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the diagnostic value of fat-suppressed (FS) three-dimensional (3D) volume isotropic turbo spin echo acquisition (VISTA) imaging in detecting radial and root tears of the meniscus, including the reader-defined reformatted axial (RDA) plane.


METHODS
Twenty-three patients with arthroscopically confirmed radial or root tears of the meniscus underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with 2D and FS 3D VISTA sequences. MRIs were reviewed independently by two musculoskeletal radiologists blinded to the arthroscopic findings. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and interobserver agreement were calculated for radial and root tears. Both radiologists reported confidence scale for the presence of meniscal tears in 2D axial imaging, 3D axial imaging, and RDA imaging, based on a five-point scale. Wilcoxon's signed rank test was used to compare confidence scale.


RESULTS
The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of FS 3D VISTA MR imaging versus 2D MR imaging were as follows: 96%, 96%, and 96% versus 91%, 91%, and 91%, respectively in reader 1, and 96%, 96%, and 96% versus 83%, 91%, and 87%, respectively, in reader 2. Interobserver agreement for detecting meniscal tears was excellent (κ=1) with FS 3D VISTA. The confidence scale was significantly higher for 3D axial images than 2D imaging (p=0.03) and significantly higher in RDA images than 3D axial image in detecting radial and root tears.


CONCLUSIONS
FS 3D VISTA had a better diagnostic performance in evaluating radial and root tears of the meniscus. The reader-defined reformatted axial plane obtained from FS 3D VISTA MR imaging is useful in detecting radial and root tears of the meniscus.
Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Medical Convergence Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 250 Seongsanno, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752, Republic of Korea.
Daekeon
D
Lim
Young Han
YH
Lee
Sungjun
S
Kim
Ho-Taek
HT
Song
Jin-Suck
JS
Suh
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D000465:Algorithms; D016880:Anisotropy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D022125:Lacerations / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012421:Rupture / Q000473:pathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013113:Spin Labels; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries; D014584:User-Computer Interface
D013113:Spin Labels
Imaging; Knee joint; Magnetic resonance imaging; Menisci; Three-dimensional; Tibial