Roke Of Magnetic Resonance Imaging In Diagnosis Of Non Traumatic Painful Knee

MRI has made great advances in imaging capabilities and its clinical value can no longer be questioned. It proved high accuracy in diagnosing a wide variety of intraosseous and soft tissue abnormalities within and around knee joint.Sixty two patients with 74 affected knees were included in our study. They were 21 females and 41 males. Their ages ranged from 7 to 70 years. Fourty five patients had more than one pathology with a total number of 149 lesions. Contrast media was used for twenty two patients. All patients were examined by plain x-ray and MRI. MRI findings of our patients were compared with arthroscopic, culture of aspirated fluid, histopathologic and clinical findings to determine the value of MRI. The lesions were divided into seven main groups according to their final diagnosis.MRI does not permit definite histologic diagnosis of significant proportion of lesions. Correlation of plain X-ray findings with the MRI findings is extremely important to reach to the correct final diagnosis. However certain MRI findings indicate a specific histologic diagnosis (ostcochondroma, and osteoid osteoma).MRI may not differentiate between benign and malignant musucloskeletal lesions. As in a soft tissue tumor, well defined lesion with an apparent capsule is not a reliable indication of benign process, also heterogeneous SI does not indicate malignant lesion.In conclusion, MRI has been proved to be the most sensitive modality that can display and characterize the different pathological entities at the knee region. Moreover, it plays an important role in planning of treatment and follow up of patients.The future of MRI in the musculoskeletal system is very promising to provide additional information and raise the value of MRI in early diagnosis of diseases and in their differential diagnosis.