MRI RESULTS

[tonyd1963]

IMPRESSIONS:  Tear through portion of the body and posterior horn of the medial meniscus with associated underlying joint effusion.  WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?  The first visit with the doctor thought it might be a torn ACL.  But he said he will know more after the results.  I'm trying to get the heads up before I see him so I know what he is talking about.  The support in my knee is very weak, especially going down steps or walking around after sitting for a little while.  My knee cap gets very cold easy when I'm just sitting still. PLEASE RESPOND SOON.

[SUE6551]

MY MRI RESULTS ARE:
Partial disruption of both the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments.
Subtle complete oblique tear posterior horn medial meniscus with degeneration.
Mild retropatellar chondromalacia.
PLEASE RESPOND SOON

[Godofredo MD]

Hi.

Yes, please do inform us of what your doctor has to say about the MRI results.

In the meantime, do not try to aggravate you condition by needlessly moving your knee joint. If there is still swelling, you can apply an ice/cold pack. You should also use compression bandages to provide some joint stability until your condition gets evaluated by your physician. If painful, some over-the-counter pain medications might help relieve some of the pain.

Good luck.

[tonyd1963]

Thank you very much for putting this into terms that even I can understand.  My appointment to see the Doctor with the MRI results in on Monday the 12/17/07.  I'll write back and let you know what happens.

[Godofredo MD]

Hi.

Basically, the menisci are 2 cartilages on both sides of the knee that serve to distribute your weight across the knee joint. The medial meniscus is located on the inner side.

A meniscal tear is caused by traumatic injury or degenerative processes common in older patients. It is not uncommon of a medial meniscus injury to be associated with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Treatment would depend on the severity of the tear.

Hope this helps.