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