Computed tomography of the knee joint

ABSTRACT

Diagnosis of knee jont pathology has been mainly dependent on clinical manifestations and invasive proceduressuch as arthrography and arthroscopy etc. However, these procedures are invasive. Arthroscopy is perfromed undergeneral anesthesia. Recently, with development of high resuloution CT with thin slices and multiplanarreconstructions capability, CT could be used to verify the internal structures of knee joint in noninvasive orless invasive way. From June ot December 1985, authors have experienced 19 cases of the knee joint CT. Among them,13 cases were operated and confirmed. We concluded as follows. 1. The diagnostic accuracy of the knee CT was 100%in lateral meniscal tearing, 92.3% in medial meniscal tearing, 92.3% in detachment of lateral collateral ligament,92.3% in medial collateral ligament, 100% in tearing of cruciate ligaments. 2. CT could be considered as a primarydiagnostic procedure in the knee pathology rather than more invasive arthrocopy or arthrography. 3. For theaccurate diagnosis of knee joint pathology, CT which can obtain thin slies, high resolution, multiplanarreconstructions is indispensable.