Magnetic resonance imaging as a screening procedure to avoid arthroscopy for meniscal tears

The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a screening procedure before arthroscopy of meniscal tears . Forty-one knees in 40 patients underwent MRI and arthroscopy. Compared wi th arthroscopy, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for MRI for the medial meniscus were 100%, 77%, 71% and 100%, respectively, while the values for the lateral meniscus were 40%. 89%, 33% and 91%, respectively. The overall accuracy for MRI of the me dial and lateral menisci combined was 84%. On the basis of the high predict ive value of negative MRI, we conclude that MRI is useful to exclude patien ts from unnecessary arthroscopy.