ABSTRACT
The knee joint is one of the most vulnerable and frequently injured joints of the body. X-ray, arthrographic, scintigraphic, ultrasound examinations hold their place in diagnosing knee injuries, but they are loosing precedence to computerised tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and arthroscopy. Role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of knee lesions has now become more evident. To find out the efficacy of MRI in diagnosing various ligamentous and meniscal injuries in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). Methods: In this prospective interventional comparative study patients of all age group of either sex attending the orthopaedic OPD of IPGMER & SSKM Hospital with clinical features suggestive of soft tissue around knee were included in the study during the period of Feb 2008 to Aug 2009. MR imaging with GE make of 1.5 tesla (super conductive in nature) was used. The patients was evaluated in sagital, coronal and axial imaging planes. Results: In the present study 100 cases of knee evaluated based on the clinical history and examination a provisional diagnosis was made. About 44% of the patients were subjected to MRI within 10 weeks after the onset of their sufferings. Most common structure being injured was medial meniscus in about 64% cases. In our study, arthroscopy had been taken as gold standard but arthroscopy is useful for intraarticular structures and its injuries only. So the correlation of intraarticular structures i.e. meniscus & cruciates can be done only. Out of 100 patients, 48 cases showed ACL tears, 22 patients showed PCL tear arthroscopically. Out of 48 ACL tears confirmed by arthroscopy the diagnosis 5543by MRI was 48. Conclusions: MR is highly specific and highly sensitive in detection of cruciate ligament injuries in patients with acute as well as chronic injury. MR is more sensitive in detection of multiple meniscal tear that may be overlooked on sonography or arthroscopy.