J Korean Radiol Soc.  1999 Jun;40(6):1211-1215. 10.3348/jkrs.1999.40.6.1211.

MR Assessment of Distribution and Amount of Joint Effusion in Patients with Traumatic Knee Joint Disorders

• Ko MG
• Yang I
• Lee KW
• Lee Y
• Chung SY
• Lee KS
• Yoo JH

• KMID: 2200949
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jkrs.1999.40.6.1211

Abstract

PURPOSE: To clarify the distribution of joint effusion, and the relationship between type of injury andamount of joint effusion seen in traumatic knee joint magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Weretrospectively reviewed the MR images of 400 patients with traumatic knee joint effusion. The knee joint spacewas divided into four compartments: central portion (para-ACL, para-PCL), suprapatellar pouch, posterior femoralrecess, and subpopliteal recess, and we then compared the amount and distribution of effusion. For statisticalanalysis, the chi-square test was used.
RESULTS
Among 400 MRI examinations of joint effusion, 383 knees (96%)showed homogeneous low intensity on T1-weighted images, and - except for ten cases of fluid-fluid levels-homogeneous high intensity on T2-weighted images. Knee joint effusion was clearly shown to be distributed mainlyin the suprapatellar pouch (345, 86%), followed by the central posterior femoral recess, and the subpoplitealrecess (p<0.001). Extensive joint effusion was less frequently found in the normal group, but was occasionallyfound in the combined injury group (p<0.001). The relationship between amount of joint effusion and type ofinjury was statistically significant (p<0.001), except in the case of medial and lateral collateral ligamentinjury.
CONCLUSIONS
The distribution of joint effusion in patients with traumatic knee disorders is a reflectionof anatomic communication, and whether the amount of joint effusion was small or large depended on the anatomicallocation and type of injury.

Keyword

Knee, MR; Joints, fluid

MeSH Terms

Humans
Joints*
Knee Joint*
Knee*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging