Comparison of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Arthroscopy Findings in the Diagnosis of Meniscus and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

The knee joint injuries are one of the most common injuries of the human body. Since the medical examination is often insufficient to make a clinical diagnosis, we use additional diagnostic methods such as magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopy. The aim of this work is to compare a magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopic examination in meniscal and anterior cruciate ligament injury diagnosis. The study included 100 patients treated by knee arthroscopy with previously performed magnetic resonance imaging. The average age of the patients was 32 years. Both, analysis of the magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopy findings in 28 subjects revealed an anterior cruciate ligament injury. In 33 patients, the magnetic resonance imaging findings also indicated a meniscal injury. In one patient, in addition, the magnetic resonance imaging also verified injury in both menisci, which was verified on the arthroscopic findings, with the exception of two patients. An isolated meniscal lesion was observed in 39 patients, 20 in the medial meniscus and 17 in the lateral meniscus. Injury of both menisci was observed in two patients. The same was verified by arthroscopic findings, except in 3 patients with a magnetic resonance imaging-verified lesion of the medial meniscus. These results lead us to conclusion that both magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopy are equally valid diagnostic methods for making a definitive diagnosis in a patient with an anterior cruciate ligament injury and meniscal lesions.