MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING EVALUATION OF LIGAMENTOUS TEARS OF THE KNEE JOINT AND ASSOCIATION OF MENISCAL TEARS WITH ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT TEARS

Anterior cruciate ligament tears are most commonly sustained sports injury, often occurring in association with meniscal tears and trauma to other ligamentous structures around the knee. Magnetic resonance imaging is vital in assessing acute knee injuries and plays an important role in deciding treatment options and planning surgical intervention. Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging has emerged as investigation of choice to evaluate the status of the ACL and other associated structures in the knee. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to determine the association of subtle meniscal injury in the presence of anterior cruciate ligament injury and other associated pathology on MR imaging. MATERIAL AND METHODS A prospective cross-sectional case study done on 40 patients including both the sexes in age group of 15 to 35 years presenting with knee joint injuries and subsequently underwent MRI of the knee joint. The data was analysed and the findings on MRI were correlated with that of arthroscopy and/or operative findings. RESULTS The commonest soft tissue injury identified on MRI of the knee joint was ACL injury and it was associated with injuries of medial meniscus followed by of lateral meniscus, medial collateral ligament and lateral collateral ligament. CONCLUSION MRI is an excellent, non-invasive, radiation free imaging modality with multiplanar capabilities and excellent soft tissue delineation. It can accurately detect, localize and characterize various internal derangements of the knee joint and help in arriving at a correct anatomical diagnosis, thereby guiding further management of the patient. Medial meniscal tears were more commonly associated with ACL tear. Various patterns of meniscal injuries were identified in this study, out of which bucket handle pattern was more common among medial meniscal tears and radial pattern was common in the lateral meniscal injuries. Radiologists while interpreting MR studies of knee injuries, should be aware of these associations.