Marcelo Bordalo-Rodrigues MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Conrado Furtado Albuquerque Cavalcanti MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Adriano Almeida MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Arnaldo Jose Hernandez MD,PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Gilberto Luis Camanho, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Giovanni Guido Cerri MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Osteo-meniscal impingement is a particular clinico-radiological entity, first described in France (2007). It is defined by pain in the medial compartment with the presence of a displaced meniscal fragment causing impingement over the adjacent subchondral bone with consequent focal depression and bone marrow edema. Since this is a little known entity, we sought to describe the MRI findings of patients with osteo-meniscal impingement.

In a retrospective study between January 2010 and January 2012, we reviewed all patients with clinical suspicion of medial meniscus tear which presented with medial compartment pain. A musculoskeletal radiologist (10 years experience) analyzed all knee MRI examinations identifying at least two of the previously described osteo-meniscal impingement signs: medial meniscus tear with a displaced fragment to the menisco-femoral or menisco-tibial recesses, focal bone depression and adjacent bone marrow edema. Arthroscopic records were also evaluated.

13 patients met the imaging criteria for osteo-meniscal impingement (10 men, 3 women, mean age 48 years). 9 patients presented an inferior displaced medial meniscus fragment (69%) and 4 presented a superior meniscal diplacement (31%). Focal bone depression was found in 92% (12/13) and bone marrow edema in 100% (13/13) of the cases. Arthroscopy was performed in 3 of these 13 cases, with confirmation of a displaced meniscal fragment in 2 of them.

Our data indicates thet osteo-meniscal impingement must be considered in the differential diagnosis of middle-aged patients with medial compartment pain and clinical suspicion of medial meniscus tear. Therefore, radiologists must be aware of the MRI signs of this particular clinico-radiological entity.

Osteo-meniscal impingement is caused by a painful and unstable meniscal lesion, which may not be visualized by regular arthroscopic surgery and must be described in MRI examinations.

Bordalo-Rodrigues, M, Cavalcanti, C, Almeida, A, Hernandez, A, Camanho, G, Cerri, G, Osteo-Meniscal Impingement: MRI Findings.  Radiological Society of North America 2012 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 25 - November 30, 2012 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2012/12043501.html