3-DIMENSIONAL ULTRASOUND IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF MENISCAL TEARS - AN EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL-STUDY

There is no consensus regarding the clinical significance of conventio nal two-dimensional ultrasound in the diagnosis of meniscal tears of t he knee. Three-dimensional ultrasound spatially reconstructs a transpa rent image of subsequent ultrasound scans. In an experimental study of 96 menisci, radial and oblique tears were detected more often by thre e-dimensional ultrasound. In a clinical study of 60 menisci the two- a nd three-dimensional ultrasound reached a sensitivity of 92 % and 100 %, a specificity of 83 % and 88 %, a positive predictive value of 58 % and 67 %, and a negative predictive value of 98 % and 100 %, respecti vely. Altogether, there was no statistically significant difference be tween both methods. The high negative predictive value, however, shows that the three-dimensional ultrasound may be a clinically relevant ex amination for special questions in the diagnostics of meniscal tears.