Abstract
In 75 patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, we retrospectively examined meniscal lesions using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Depending on the time from their ligamentous injury to the performance of MRI, the patients were divided into three groups: the acute group (less than 1 month, n=25), the subacute group (between 1 and 12 months, n=30), and the chronic group (12 months or more, n=20). Almost all meniscal signal changes were detected in the same locations of the posterior horn of the meniscus. The incidence of medial and lateral meniscal signal changes was higher in the acute group than in the other groups. The incidence of Miuk's grade 1 and 2 meniscal signal changes was highest in the acute group. In the medial meniscus, the incidence of grade 3 was highest in the chronic group. These results suggest that meniscal lesions develop following the injury to the ACL and ACL instability may affect the grade of these lesions.
