J Korean Knee Soc.  2004 Dec;16(2):169-174.

Effect of Displacement and Morphological Change of Medial Meniscus on Early Osteoarthritis of the Knee

• Chung WY
• Lee WS
• Kim WS
• Kim YC
• Jeon TS
• Kim KT
• Bae IT

Abstract

PURPOSE: We investigated relationship between displacement and morphologic changes of medial meniscus and articular cartilage loss on magnetic resonance (MR) Images in early osteoarthritis of the knee.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Ninety-three cases with symptomatic knee and early osteoarthritis on the plain radiographs underwent MR imaging of the knee. We measured displacement, tear, and morphological changes of medial meniscus according to the amount of articular cartilage loss on coronal and sagittal MR images.
RESULTS
The mean medial meniscal displacement was greater in cartilage loss group(4.3+/-2.8 mm) than control group(2.2+/-1.9 mm). The mean anterior meniscal displacement was greater in cartilage loss group (3.6+/-2.3 mm) than control group(1.9+/-1.2 mm). But meniscal displacement was not correlated with articular cartilage loss (p>0.05). The morphological changes of medial meniscus were 53.4%(31/58) in cartilage loss group and 11.4% (4/35) in control group (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
In early osteoarthritis of the knee, displacement and morphological changes of medial menisci had correlation with articular cartilage loss in MRI study.

Keyword

Knee; Osteoarthritis; MRI; Medial meniscus

MeSH Terms

Cartilage
Cartilage, Articular
Knee*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Menisci, Tibial*
Osteoarthritis*