The Role of Ultrasound in Evaluation of Knee Joint Meniscal Injuries Compared to MRI Results

Document Type : Original research articles

Authors

1 Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt

2 Orthopedics and Traumatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt.

Abstract

Background: Sports knee injuries result in pain, swelling, and limited mobility. Endoscopy is common but doesn't provide a complete diagnosis. MRI is costly and less accessible. Ultrasound is an emerging, portable, and cost-effective alternative for diagnosing meniscal and ligament injuries.
Objectives: To compare between the accuracy of Ultrasound and MRI in diagnosis and evaluation of knee joint meniscal injures.
Patients and methods: This prospective study evaluated 100 patients with knee meniscal injuries referred from an orthopedic clinic to the Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology department at Qena University. Patients underwent comprehensive examinations, including ultrasound for anterior and posterior knee assessment, and MRI with various sequences.
Results: Ultrasonography demonstrated 33.33% sensitivity and 91.46% specificity for degeneration with an 81% overall accuracy. For tear detection, it showed 91.46% sensitivity and 66.67% specificity, with an 81% overall accuracy. When assessing different sites, ultrasonography exhibited high sensitivity (89.83% for PHMM, 100% for PHLM, and AHMM), excellent specificity (92.68% for PHMM, 98.82% for PHLM, and 88.89% for AHMM), and strong accuracy (91% for PHMM, 99% for PHLM, and 91% for AHMM). Positive predictive values (PPV) ranged from 67.86% to 94.64%, and negative predictive values (NPV) were between 86.36% and 100% for the various sites compared to MRI diagnosis that used as a reference standard.
Conclusion: Ultrasound has 81% sensitivity for tears and 13% for degeneration. Ultrasound excels in detecting lesions in the posterior horn of the medial and lateral meniscus with good sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy.

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SVU-International Journal of Medical Sciences
Volume 8, Issue 2
July-December
July 2025
Pages 403-414

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