The accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting meniscal pathology.

AIMS: The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanning in the detection of meniscal pathology in a district general hospital. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed a single-surgeon series of 240 knee arthroscopic investigations for all indications. The arthroscopic reports included an outline diagram of the meniscus upon which the surgeon could record his operative findings. 112 of these patients had also had a recent MRI scan. We compared the MRI findings with the arthroscopy findings. RESULTS: 66 patients had a positive MRI scan. 64 of these were found to have a meniscal tear at surgery. 37 MRI scans were reported as "no tear", of which four were found to have a meniscal tear at surgery. Nine MRI scans were descriptive, e.g. "signal change, possible tear", or "tear cannot be ruled out." These tended to correspond with equivocal arthroscopic findings of "degeneration" or "fibrillation". In our series of 112 patients with meniscal pathology, MRI scanning was 90.5% sensitive, 89.5% specific and 90.1% accurate. CONCLUSIONS: False positive MRI scans may lead to unnecessary surgery. Patients with negative MRI scans had a mean delay to surgery of 33 weeks compared to 18 weeks for patients with positive MRI scans. Patients with false negative MRI results may wait longer for their surgery. Two of the false negative MRI scan reports clearly showed meniscus tears, which were not identified by the reporting radiologist. In our series, the MRI scan itself was more accurate than the reporting. It is important to have an experienced musculoskeletal radiologist to minimise the number of missed meniscal tears. It is also important for the surgeon to review the MRI scan itself, as well as the report.

The burden of arthroscopy of the knee: a contemporary analysis of data from the English NHS.

Arthroscopy of the knee is one of the most commonly performed orthopaedic procedures worldwide. Large-volume outcome data have not previously been available for English NHS patients. Prospectively collected admissions data, routinely collected on every English NHS patient, were analysed to determine the rates of complications within 30 days (including re-operation and re-admission), 90-day symptomatic venous thromboembolism and all-cause mortality. There were 301,701 operations performed between 2005 and 2010--an annual incidence of 9.9 per 10,000 English population. Of these, 16,552 (6%) underwent ligament reconstruction and 106,793 (35%) underwent meniscal surgery. The 30-day re-admission rate was 0.64% (1662) and 30-day wound complication rate was 0.26% (677). The overall 30-day re-operation rate was 0.40% (1033) and the 90-day pulmonary embolism rate was 0.08% (230), of which six patients died. 90-day mortality was 0.02% (47). Age < 40 years, male gender and ligament reconstruction were significantly associated with an increased rate of 30-day re-admission and unplanned re-operation. In addition, a significant increase in 30-day admission rates were seen with Charlson comorbidity scores of 1 (p = 0.037) and ≥ 2 (p < 0.001) compared with scores of 0, and medium volume units compared with high volume units (p < 0.001). Complications following arthroscopy of the knee are rare. It is a safe procedure, which in the majority of cases is performed as day case surgery. These data can be used for quality benchmarking, in terms of consent, consultant re-validation and individual unit performance.