Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in People With Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Meniscal Abnormalities

Abstract

eniscal lesions are damages that occur at the menisci insertions, which are considered the major orthopedic issue regarding knee joint biomechanics. The imaging modality of choice for meniscal lesions is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which has the highest sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Purpose. To evaluate the percentage of MRI abnormalities of the knees in asymptomatic and symptomatic people with suspected meniscal and other lesions.Methods. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted; two MRI machines were used: one in the oncology Teaching Hospital 1.5 Tesla Siemens system (Magnetom Aera; Siemens Healthineers, Erlangen, Germany) and the other is 1.5 Tesla unit (Avanto, Siemens Healthineers, Germany) in X-ray Institute). A total of 100 participants, fifty symptomatic meniscal lesions (33 males and 17 females) and fifty asymptomatic meniscal lesions (24 males and 26 females) were enrolled in this study. The age of participants ranged from 46 years to 67 years.Results. The mean age of symptomatic meniscal lesions (MLs) was 52.96±3.854 years (median 53 years), ranging from 46 years to 66 years, while the mean age of asymptomatic meniscal lesions was 56.96±5.284 years (median 56 years), ranged from 48 years to 67 years. Males symptomatic meniscal lesions were 33 (66%), whereas females were 17 (34%). Whereas in asymptomatic meniscal lesions, males were 24 (48%), whereas females were 26 (52%). Painful knee (96%), discomfort (100%) and reduce joint motions (100%) are the most common manifestations recorded. The asymptomatic meniscal lesions patients age is higher than the age of symptomatic meniscal lesions cases with a strong statistically significant difference (P<0.0001). On the other hand, the comorbidity has a high statistically significant difference (P=0.009), between the two groups. Furthermore, joints effusion, bone marrow and soft tissue edema, horizontal meniscal lesions, and complex meniscal lesions have a statistically significant difference (P=0.004), (P<0.0001), (P=0.04), (P=0.002), respectively, to be more in symptomatic knees. Medial meniscus tears are more prevalent than lateral in both horizontal and complex meniscal lesions and both symptomatic and asymptomatic knees. In symptomatic, the most common tears were reported in the posterior horn of the medial meniscus among horizontal meniscal lesions and complex meniscal lesions [(11, 25.6%), and (5, 55.6%)], respectively. In asymptomatic, the most common tears were reported in the anterior horn of the Medial meniscus of horizontal meniscal lesions (8, 18.6%).Conclusions. The old-age and comorbid conditions have a positive correlation with meniscal lesions in symptomatic more than in asymptomatic knees. Gender, BMI, and trauma history have a negative association with the development of meniscal lesions in symptomatic and asymptomatic knees meniscal lesions. Joint effusion, bone marrow or soft tissue edema, meniscal tear (horizontal), meniscal tear (complex, vertical, radial), and ACL in symptomatic meniscal lesions represent the most...