VILLONODULAR SYNOVITIS OF THE KNEE - CONT RIBUTION OF MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING

This retrospective study included eight patients with villonodular syn ovitis of the knee (7 nodular forms and one villous form) who underwen t magnetic resonance imaging and at least one arthroscopy. Joint enlar gement and mild pain were the main manifestations. Other imaging studi es provided little information. Magnetic resonance imaging showed high ly suggestive hemosiderin-laden masses. Hemosiderin was most clearly s een on gradient echo sequences. Magnetic resonance imaging was also us eful for determining the distribution of lesions. Intravenous gadolini um provided no additional information. Arthroscopy allowed to collect biopsy specimens and to perform synovectomy when called for. In our op inion, after a physical examination and plain roentgenograms, magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopy should both be performed to determi ne the extent of lesions and to allow histological diagnosis and synov ectomy, respectively.