Journal of AdvancedMedical and Dental Sciences Research

Background: MRI is an accurate, non-invasive method to diagnose knee injuries, and gives sufficient information to support decisions for conservative treatment and save a patient from unnecessary arthroscopy. The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of MRI in knee joint pathologies. Materials & Methods: 80 patients with painful knee joint of both genders underwent MRI of knee joint with 1.5 Tesla high gradient MRI scanner. T1 and T2 weighted sequences in sagittal planes, PD weighted sequences in axial, coronal and sagittal planes and fat suppressed T2 or STIR sequences were recorded. Results: Out of 80 patients, males were 46 and females were 34. Age group 11-20 years had 8, 21-30 years had 19, 31-40 years had 21, 41-50 years had 20, 51-60 years had 12 patients. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Common knee pathologies were medial meniscal tears in 6, lateral meniscal tears in 7, chondromalacia patellae in 5, rheumatoid arthritis in 8, anterior cruciate ligament tear in 14, posterior cruciate ligament tear in 10, medial collateral ligament tears in 5, lateral collateral ligament tears in 7, osteochondritis dissecans in 8 and infection in 10 patients. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Conclusion: Common knee pathologies were anterior cruciate ligament tear, posterior cruciate ligament tear, chondromalacia patellae, rheumatoid arthritis, medial collateral ligament tears, lateral collateral ligament tears, medial meniscal tears, lateral meniscal tears, osteochondritis dissecans and infection. MRI is an accurate and cost- effective radiographic aid useful in diagnosis of painful knee.