Investigation of the frequency of meniscal ligament injuries and other abnormal knee injuries in the patients referring to MRI center of Shahid Ghazi Clinic in Sanandaj

Knee is the largest synovial joint in the body. Knee joints are supported on each side by collateral, meniscal, anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligaments (PCL). About 50% of people experience knee joint pain in their lifetime. Arthroscopy is a technique used for accurate diagnosis and treatment of disorders and injuries of the knee joint, although many orthopedic surgeons believe that MRI is a convenient and non-invasive tool for the diagnosis of knee joint injuries.
This cross-sectional study was performed in MRI Imaging Center of ShahidGhazi Clinc in Sanandaj during a period of five months from October to March 1394. 500 patients who had referred for the first time and had no history of knee surgery were entered into the study. Every patients filled out a questionnaire including indications and variables such as age, sex, occupation, location of pain, history of trauma, knee giving way, knee locking and other symptoms. MRI was performed by using GE HDxt 1.5T MRI system and the images were interpreted by a radiologist.
In this study, 134 (34.1%) patients had ruptured ACL and 12 (31%) had ruptured PCL. MCL and LCL injuries were found in 8 (2%) and 5 (1.3%) patients respectively. In 187 (47.6%) patients had effusion. Meniscal lesions were found in 84 (21.4%) cases and the meniscal ligaments of 52 (13.2%) patients had been destroyed. Loss of the anatomical shape and physiological activity of internal and external meniscus were considered as our criteria for knee joint lesions.
In this study, housewives had the highest frequency (26.2%) of knee injuries. Interestingly, we found the lowest frequency rate among the retired men (1.5% ) and the highest frequency rate among the military personnel (22.1%) Clinical symptoms of audible knee sound and trauma were found in 61.1% and (49.1%) respectively. The study also showed that the medial meniscus ligament was the most prone ligament to injury. Rupture of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), as well as bone tumors had the least frequency rates.