Research on the accuracy and matching degree of different methods of measuring human knee menisci
WANG Xi-shun
ZHANG Ya-dong
HOU Shu-xun
WU Wen-wen
LUO Dian-zhong
GU Dong-qiang
XUE Chao
ZHAO Yan-tao
Abstract：Objective To investigate the interrelationship among the 3 methods of X-ray, MRI and anatomical measurements of human knee menisci, as well as their accuracy and matching degree. Methods Six qualiifed knee joints were selected from male adult patients whose death was accidental and age ranged from 20 to 45 years old. The cases of knee trauma and disorders were excluded, and the other cases were numbered randomly. Standard anterior-posterior and lateral X-ray imaging and routine knee MRI scan were performed respectively, and the image data were guided into the Unisight image analysis system so as to measure and record the relevant indicators. The knee joints were amputated, and the relevant data were measured and recorded under direct vision according to the meniscus measurement method in the Tissue Bank of our hospital. The X-ray measurement indicators included sagittal diameter of the medial tibial plateau, sagittal diameter of the lateral tibial plateau, coronal diameter of the tibial plateau, coronal diameter of the medial tibial plateau and coronal diameter of the lateral tibial plateau. The MRI measurement indicators included coronal diameter of the tibial plateau, coronal diameter of the medial tibial plateau, coronal diameter of the lateral tibial plateau, sagittal diameter of the medial tibial plateau, sagittal diameter of the lateral tibial plateau, thickness of the medial and lateral menisci ( anterior horn, body and posterior horn ) and width of the medial and lateral menisci ( anterior horn, body and posterior horn ). The anatomical measurement indicators included coronal diameter of the tibial plateau, coronal diameter of the medial tibial plateau, coronal diameter of the lateral tibial plateau, sagittal diameter of the medial tibial plateau, sagittal diameter of the lateral tibial plateau, thickness of the medial and lateral menisci ( anterior horn, body and posterior horn ) and width of the medial and lateral menisci ( anterior horn, body and posterior horn ). Results Among the direct measurement indicators of the meniscus, the coefifcient variations of all the indicators measured by the MRI were more than 10%, excluding the width of the body of the medial meniscus, the thickness of the anterior horn of the medial meniscus and the thickness of the body of the lateral meniscus, which were all less than 10%. The coefifcient variations of the width of the posterior and anterior horns of the lateral meniscus measured by the MRI were 65.97%and 70.26%respectively. The indirect measurement indicators of the meniscus indicated the variation coefifcient was less than 10%. The meniscus measured by the MRI was thicker than that of the anatomical measurement all the time. The consistency of the 3 measurement methods was interrelated, but differences still existed. Conclusions Among the measurement indicators of the meniscus, the X-ray measurement values are greatest, and the MRI measurement results are close to the anatomical measurement results. The indicators of the meniscus measured by the MRI are more accurate and stable than that by the X-ray, so it is recommended as the method to measure the clinical matching degree. The 3 best indicators of stability include the coronary diameter of the tibial plateau, sagittal diameter of the medial tibial plateau and sagittal diameter of the lateral tibial plateau, and the coefifcient variations are all less than 7%. Furthermore, the coronal diameter of the tibial plateau can be taken as the primary indicator in the measurement of matching degree.
Keywords：MeniscitibialRadiographyMagnetic resonance imagingAnatomyregionalKnee joint
Publication Date：2014-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 287-291 )