ABSTRACT

Meniscal tears are very common and are a major risk factor for knee osteoarthritis development. The aim of this study was to ascertain the incidence of medial meniscal tears in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies and to determine whether increasing age affects the likelihood of a patient having a meniscal tear.

All patients who underwent knee MRI at our institution between January 3, 2017, and December 30, 2017, were included in the study. Radiological reports of magnetic resonance images were assessed for evidence of any kind of medial meniscus tear. A logistic regression model was used to assess the effect of age and sex on the probability of a patient having a medial meniscal tear.

A total of 1855 patients with a medial meniscal tear and 1935 patients without a medial meniscal tear were included in this study. The logistic regression model showed that the probability of having a medial meniscal tear increased with age in both men and women. In this sample, 52% (923/1767) of men had a medial meniscal tear versus 46% (932/2024) of women; men were more likely to have a medial meniscal tear than women (odds ratio, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.13-1.46; p<0.001).

The incidence of medial meniscal tears increases with age. Therefore, radiologists and orthopedic surgeons interpreting MRI studies should remember that the existence of a medial meniscal tear in an elderly patient may be an incidental finding and may not explain the patient’s symptoms.

Keywords: Meniscus, medial meniscus tear, knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)