EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF MENISCAL TEARS - SIGNIFICANCE OF 3-DIMENSIONAL SONOGRAPHY

The clinical value of two-dimensional ultrasound in examining the meni sci of the knee compared to other methods is controversial. We studied the utility diagnosed by three-dimensional sonography in evaluating m eniscal tears. Method: 96 menisci with standardised artificial lesions were examined in a bath of Ringer solution. Two-dimensional ultrasoun d was compared to three-dimensional ultrasound, which creates three-di mensional reconstruction of sequential ultrasonographic images. Result s: The three-dimensional ultrasound had a higher sensitivity of 88% vs 69% with a specificity of 83% vs 94% for the diagnosis of meniscal te ars compared with the two-dimensional method. The sensitivity in imagi ng was 54% in each case for longitudinal tears, 63% vs 96% for horizon tal tears, 67% vs 37% for oblique tears and 54% vs 0% for radial tears . The difference of these results, however, was not statistically sign ificant. Radial tears were more frequently diagnosed by three-dimensio nal sonography. Conclusion: In our model, sonographic diagnosis of men iscal tears was improved only partially by using three-dimensional ult rasound. Whether in vivo other factors alter the minimal differences b etween the two techniques is the subject of ongoing investigation.