Triangular fibrocartilage in asymptomatic subjects: investigation of abnormal MR signal intensity.

Abstract

To investigate the prevalence of abnormally high signal intensity of triangular fibrocartilage (TFC) tears on magnetic resonance (MR) images of asymptomatic subjects. MR images of one wrist in 70 asymptomatic volunteers (age range, 15-78 years) were evaluated for TFC high signal intensity. Findings at MR imaging and topographic parameters of each wrist studied were correlated with the subject's age. Any vertical or horizontal high-intensity slits that reached the joint surface or evidence of a perforation was considered abnormal. Abnormally high TFC signal intensity was seen on images of 35 (50%) wrists. Further, a thin TFC was more often seen in subjects with positive variance, and positive ulnar variance and thin TFC were associated with high signal intensity. Age did not substantially affect the presence or absence of high signal intensity. Since TFC high signal intensity was frequently detected in these asymptomatic wrists, MR imaging cannot reliably be used to detect clinically meaningful abnormalities.