Skip to content
Log in
Open access

A Retrospective Study of the Accuracy of MRI in Diagnosing Meniscal Tears, Including Sensitivity, Specificity, and Correlation with Arthroscopic Findings

K. A. Lata Anas Misbah S. Pawar Sanjeev Suman
Jun 2026 · International Journal of Current Pharmaceutical Review and Research · Vol 18 · 0 citations

TL;DR

MRI is a useful, non-invasive imaging technique that is accurate and helpful for diagnosing meniscal tears, and is a valuable aid in the preoperative evaluation.

Abstract

Background: Meniscal tears are one of the most common internal derangements of the knee joint, and a major source of pain, swelling, locking and functional limitation. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive examination commonly used to help assess meniscal injury, and arthroscopy is the definitive test. Determination of the accuracy of diagnosis by MRI is crucial for optimizing management of the patient and minimising invasive procedures. Methods: The study was a retrospective observational study carried out in the departments of Orthopaedics and Radiology of Patna Medical College & Hospital (PMCH) from May 2025 to November 2025. The study included a total of 94 patients with suspected meniscal injuries who had both MRI and arthroscopy. Comparisons were made between findings on MRI and arthroscopic findings, and diagnostic parameters were computed, such as sensitivity, specificity, Positive Predictive Value (PPV), Negative Predictive Value (NPV), and overall accuracy. Results: MRI had high sensitivity and good diagnostic accuracy for the identification of meniscal tears. Medial meniscal tears were more common than lateral meniscal tears. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and overall accuracy of MRI were found to be 93.9%, 45.5%, 92.9%, 50.0%, and 88.3%, respectively. There was a strong correlation between MRI findings and arthroscopic findings. Conclusion: MRI is a useful, non-invasive imaging technique that is accurate and helpful for diagnosing meniscal tears, and is a valuable aid in the preoperative evaluation. But the gold standard in the definitive diagnosis and management of meniscal injury is still arthroscopy.

DOI Semantic Scholar
Read PDF

Similar papers

Meta-analysis Jul 2026

Diagnostic accuracy of clinical examination versus MRI for meniscal tears: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Paired-design synthesis with arthroscopic verification gives less biased estimates of comparative accuracy than unpaired designs, and composite clinical examination by an experienced clinician retains diagnostic value alongside MRI.

R. Rana, Navjyot Mehan, Rifat Hassan et al. · 0 citations
Review Jul 2026

Assessment of the Reliability and Diagnostic Accuracy of Indirect MRI Signs for ACL Tears: Comparison with Arthroscopic Findings as the Gold Standard

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of indirect MRI signs (PCL Angle, PCL Inclination Angle, PCL-PCA, and Anterior Drawer Sign) in diagnosing ACL tears, as confirmed by arthroscopy. Methodology: This retrospective case-control study, conducted at Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad from January to December 2023, included 100 patients divided into two groups based on arthroscopy findings: 50 with a healthy ACL (Control) and 50 with ACL deficiency (Test). MRI signs were analyzed retrospectively to calculate cut-off values, sensitivity, specificity, and AUC. Results: The study involved 100 patients (77 males, 23 females), with a mean age of 35.12 years (range 16–75). Among MRI parameters, PCL-PCA was the most sensitive (81.3%, AUC 0.821), followed by PCL angle (78.1%, AUC 0.870) and PCL inclination angle (68.8%, AUC 0.697). The Anterior Drawer Sign showed high specificity (89.19%) but lower sensitivity (57.14%) and was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The crux of this study is that PCL-PCA is highly sensitive in diagnosing ACL tear as an indirect and secondary parameter, followed by PCL angle, then by PCL inclination angle, and lastly by anterior drawer sign. These provided an excellent distinction between patients with and without an ACL tear.

K. Bhinder, Aroosa Kanwal, Madiha Saeed Wahla et al. · 0 citations
Review Open access Aug 2026

Meniscal Ramp Lesions Are More Commonly Detected on Magnetic Resonance Imaging Than Arthroscopy in Patients With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears.

Meniscal ramp lesions were frequently detected on MRI in patients undergoing ACL reconstruction, although less commonly observed at the time of surgery, although less commonly observed at the time of surgery.

Erik Lerjefors, Riccardo Cristiani, Christoffer von Essen et al. · 0 citations
Review Open access Aug 2026

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluation of Meniscal Ramp Lesions and their Association with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Severity: A Retrospective Observational Study.

The strong association with ACL injury and having a potentially important role in knee stabilisation, their injuries need to be given due importance by radiologists and should not be underreported.

Lokesh Rana, Dileep Chowdary, Anupama Dhiman et al. · 0 citations
Open access Jul 2026

Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound in diagnosis of rotator cuff injuries keeping MRI as gold standard.

Its strong concordance with MRI supports its use as a first-line diagnostic tool, particularly for full-thickness tears, and remains essential in equivocal cases or when detailed pre-operative assessment is required.

Muhmmad Zohaib, Asgher, Muqaddas Fatima et al. · 0 citations
Open access Jul 2026

A head-to-head comparison of high-frequency ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging for preoperative assessment of ATFL tears and concomitant CFL injuries

HFUS demonstrates better diagnostic performance for preoperative grading of ATFL tear severity, whereas MRI shows moderate diagnostic capability in detecting concomitant CFL injuries in the setting of combined lateral ankle ligament trauma.

Binbin Tang, Lei Wang, Yuanjun Zheng et al. · 0 citations