The value of magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosing meniscal tears: A retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Aim: Diagnostic arthroscopy is an invasive and an expensive method using for the diagnosis of meniscal tears. The aim of this study was to determine the value of knee magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of meniscal tears and its role in the prevention of unnecessary diagnostic arthroscopy.

Methods: A total of 105 patients who underwent knee magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopy due to meniscus injury were included in the study. Fifty-nine patients were examined using a 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance scanner and 46 were examined using a 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance scanner. Magnetic resonance imaging findings were evaluated retrospectively in workstations by two radiologists experienced in musculoskeletal magnetic resonance imaging. Meniscal tears were reported as anterior horn tear, corpus tear or posterior horn tear. Meniscal tears were classified by using surgical classification. Each patient’s magnetic resonance images were evaluated with a consensus and compared with the arthroscopic diagnosis.

Results: Meniscal tears were detected in 96 out of 106 knees on arthroscopy. By using arthroscopy as the gold standard for diagnosis of meniscal tears, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy values of the magnetic resonance imaging evaluation were found as 85.71% (95% CI: 77.84-91.61), 93% (95% CI: 86.11-97.14) and 89.15% (95% CI: 84.17-93), respectively. These values of magnetic resonance imaging were found high in the diagnosis of meniscal tears. 

Conclusion: Magnetic resonance imaging is an effective imaging method in the diagnosis of meniscal tears. Although the resolution of 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging is higher, 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging is sufficient in routine meniscus tear diagnosis.

Keywords

• Magnetic resonance imaging,Arthroscopy,Meniscus

Menisküs yırtıklarının tanısında manyetik rezonans görüntülemenin tanısal değeri: Retrospektif kohort çalışma

Öz

Amaç: Tanısal artroskopi, menisküs yırtıklarının tanısında kullanılan invaziv ve pahalı bir yöntemdir. Çalışmamızın amacı; diz manyetik rezonans görüntülemenin, menisküs yırtıklarının tanısında tanısal değerini ve gereksiz tanısal artroskopinin önlenmesindeki rolünü belirlemektir.

Yöntemler: Çalışmaya, menisküs yaralanması nedeniyle diz manyetik rezonans görüntüleme ve artroskopi yapılan toplam 105 hasta dahil edildi. 59 hasta 1,5 Tesla manyetik rezonans tarayıcı kullanarak, 46 hasta ise 3,0 Tesla manyetik rezonans tarayıcı kullanılarak incelendi.

Manyetik rezonans görüntüleme bulguları, kas iskelet sistemi manyetik rezonans görüntülemede deneyimli iki radyolog tarafından iş istasyonlarında retrospektif olarak değerlendirildi. Menisküs yırtıkları; ön boynuz, gövde veya arka boynuz yırtıkları olarak raporlandırıldı. Menisküs yırtıkları, cerrahi sınıflama kullanılarak sınıflandırıldı. Her hastanın manyetik rezonans görüntüleri, değerlendirilip fikir birliği sağlandı ve artroskopi tanısı ile karşılaştırıldı.

Bulgular: Artroskopide, 106 dizin 96'sında menisküs yırtığı tespit edildi. Menisküs yırtığı tanısında, altın standart olarak artroskopi kullanılarak, manyetik rezonans görüntülemenin duyarlılık, özgüllük ve doğruluk değerleri sırasıyla; %85,71 (%95 CI: 77,84-91,61), %93  (%95 CI: 86,11-97,14) ve %89,15 (%95 CI: 84,17-93) bulundu. Menisküs yırtığı tanısında manyetik rezonans görüntülemenin tanısal değerleri yüksek bulundu.

Sonuç: Manyetik rezonans görüntüleme, menisküs yırtığı tanısında etkili bir görüntüleme yöntemidir. 3,0 Tesla manyetik rezonans görüntülemede imajların çözünürlüğü daha yüksek olsa da, rutin menisküs yırtığı tanısında 1,5 Tesla manyetik rezonans görüntüleme yeterlidir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Manyetik rezonans görüntüleme,Artroskopi,Menisküs

Kaynakça

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