Table 1 Types of findings on MRI and related advice
Positive findings (advice for referral to orthopaedic surgeon) | Equivocal findings (advice based on radiologist’s judgement) | Negative findings (advice for treatment in primary care) |
|---|---|---|
Pigmented villonodular synovitis | Synovitis, bursitis, hoffitis, any other cyst | Effusion, Baker’s cyst, ganglion, plica, subcutaneous oedema |
Lesions of the m. quadriceps tendon, the patellar tendon or the patellar retinacula | ||
Osteochondrosis dissecans fracture | Lesions of the trochlea or patellar alignment anomalies | Bone bruise or bone marrow oedema |
Meniscal tears* | Parameniscal cyst, meniscal extrusion, discoid meniscus, isolated lesions of meniscal ligaments or meniscal capsular lesions | |
Partial or complete anterior or posterior cruciate ligament tears | Mucoid degeneration of the cruciate ligaments | |
Grade III injury (complete rupture) of the medial collateral ligament or the posterolateral corner | Grade I and II injury of the medial collateral ligament or the posterolateral corner | |
Grade IV chondromalacia | Grade I to III chondromalacia |