MRI high-signal intensity in the menisci of asymptomatic childrenY. Takeda, MD, Instructor; T. Ikata, MD, Professor and Chairman; S. Yoshida, MD, Instructor; H. Takai, MD, Assistant Professor; and S. Kashiwaguchi, MD, Assistant ProfessorDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Tokushima, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770, Japan. Correspondence should be sent to Dr Y. Takeda. We reviewed retrospectively the MRI examinations of 108 knees of 80 children to identify the prevalence of a high signal in the menisci of those without symptoms. There were 51 boys and 29 girls with a mean age of 12.2 years (8 to 15). The prevalence of a high signal within the menisci was 66%, significantly higher than that in an adult group (29%). The prevalence decreased with age: grade-2 and grade-3 changes were observed in 80% of menisci at ten years of age, in 65% at 13 years and in 35% at 15 years. The prevalence of high signals also decreased with increased skeletal maturity at the knee. We emphasise the importance of awareness of the high prevalence of a high signal intensity in the menisci of children, especially in early adolescence.
|
|


