The value of arthrography in the management of internal derangements of the knee: the first 1000 are the worst

Abstract

The acceptance of arthrography of the knee as an accurate diagnostic procedure by both radiologists and orthopaedic surgeons in the United Kingdom has been slow compared to many other parts of the world. The value of arthrography in the diagnosis of meniscal lesions is discussed with reference to the first 1000 documented cases in the authors' series. It is considered that the results obtained from such early experience is more relevant to those about to start as an arthrographic service. Problems in clinical, arthrographic and arthroscopic diagnosis are discussed. Arthrography constitutes an accurate method of diagnosing such lesions and should be employed whenever clinical doubt about the diagnosis of an internal derangement of the knee is encountered. In a selected group of 137 patients, in whom both arthrography and arthroscopy was performed, the two investigations showed a comparable accuracy of 89.8 and 88.3% respectively.