MR OF THE POSTOPERATIVE KNEE

There have been multiple recent refinements in the arthroscopic techni ques of meniscal surgery and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstr uction, and these are now allowing many postoperative patients to resu me an active lifestyle. A result is an increasing number of postoperat ive patients who are referred for a magnetic resonance (MR) scan of th e knee because of a recurrent injury. In this article, we will discuss some of the MR findings of retorn menisci and the role of MR arthrogr aphy. We will also review the changes that occur in the MR appearance of the ACL graft during the first year after surgery, and its effect o n the accuracy of diagnosing graft tears. The MR findings after other less common knee procedures will also be described.