European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background:In developing countries where MRI is still unaffordable and not readily
available, ultrasound may serve as an efficient substitute in trained hands. Sonography
is vastly underutilized and with additional advances in technology and scanning
techniques, we expect further expansion of its role in the evaluation of knee joint. Thus,
ultrasound can be used as an initial modality for painful knee joint and may be helpful
in making decisions to perform more costly MR imaging or invasive arthroscopy.
Materials and Methods: A descriptive observational study was conducted amongst 33
patients who underwent ultrasound imaging of the knee when they presented with knee
pain at a tertiary care hospital in Delhi, NCR from July 2017 to March 2020.
Ultrasound was performed using the technique described by Von Holsbeeck. Bilateral
scans were taken for each patient for comparison. Examination was done with the
patient supine, left and right lateral and prone positions.
Results: All except six cases (82%) were diagnosed with arthritis on ultra-sonography –
osteoarthritis (21, 63%); infective arthritis (3, 9%) and inflammatory arthritis (2, 6%).
Six cases were diagnosed with idiopathic popliteal cyst. On ultrasonography of
degenerative arthritis cases, cartilage lesions were identified in 10 cases in the form of
cartilage thinning. Joint effusion was detected in 13 cases as fluid echogenicity in the
suprapatellar recess. Meniscal lesions were detected in 12 cases.
Conclusion: High-resolution sonography is a novel technique for the assessment of the
painful knee. We recommend that ultrasound should be used regularly as a second line
after plain radiography in radiological evaluation of the knee joint. Ultrasound provides
very useful information on the status of menisci, ligaments, tendons and muscles in low
resourced country like India where MRI is expensive and accessible only to a few.