International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), India Online ISSN: 2319-7064 Volume 2 Issue 6, June 2013 www.ijsr.net Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in Knee Joint Pain at King Saud Medical City, Saudi Arabia Mustafa Z. Mahmoud 1, 2* , Maram A. Fagiri 3 , Atallh Fowzan Al-Motrfi 1 , Abdelmoneim Sulieman 1 1 Salman bin Abdulaziz University, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Radiology and Medical Imaging Department, P.O.Box: 422, Al-Kharj- Saudi Arabia 2 Sudan University of Science and Technology, College of Medical Radiological Science, Basic Sciences Department, P.O. Box: 1908, Khartoum- Sudan 3 Sudan University of Science and Technology, College of Graduate Studies, P. O. Box: 407, Khartoum- Sudan Abstract: Knee pain is a common presenting complaint with many possible causes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is highly sensitive in detecting these abnormalities. This study was aimed to use MRI to determine the incidence of knee pathologies arise in symptomatic Saudi patients referred to King Saud Medical City. A total of 58 consecutive patients was recruited in this retrospective study, in the period of February 2011 to July 2012. MRI of the knees was done using four channel knee coil and a 1.5 Tesla superconducting magnet. Ligament lesions were demonstrated in (36.2%) of the knees, meniscal lesions detected in (37.9%), joint effusion developed in (63.8%), Subchondral edema and tumour were found equally in (1.7%), bone marrow edema and bursitis presents in (5.2%) of conditions, bony contusion presents in (15.5%), osteoarthritis; bone erosion, osteophyte changes and Baker cyst were diagnosed in (12.1%) and (10.4%) respectively. The findings were dominant in females rather than males (p-value = 0.03), and were not exclusive only to the elderly but can also develop in younger-middle age groups. Keywords: Baker’s cyst, Bursitis, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Osteophyte, Synovitis. 1. Introduction Knee pain is present in up to 20% of the adult general population and is associated with clinically significant disability [1]–[5]. Knee pain, a common subset of all knee pain, accounts for more than 1 million emergency department and 1.9 million primary care outpatient visits annually [6]. Six percent of patients presenting to an adult primary care clinic with a physical symptom have knee pain; 17% of them have experienced knee pain for less than 3 days and 46% for less than 1 month [7]. MRI is a safe and valuable adjunct to the clinical examination of the knee and an aid to efficient preoperative planning. It is the most commonly used imaging modality in the evaluation of the knee joint, and has an acceptable accuracy in the detection of meniscal and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury [8]– [13]. King Saud Medical City records of 2011/2012 show that averages of 800 patients with knee joint disorders were seen in orthopaedic and rheumatology outpatient clinics out of a total of 7000 patients annually. In a country with a population of 28 million people, it contributes significantly to the burden of disease. Knee pain and related symptoms may come as a result of damage to one or more of the soft tissue structures that stabilize and cushion the knee joint, including the ligaments, muscles, tendons, and menisci. This study was aimed to determine the incidence of common knee pathologies founded in symptomatic Saudi patient complains of knee pain by using MRI, because soft tissue pathology of the knee represents one of the more common, yet perplexing, musculoskeletal disorders presenting at King Saud Medical City. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Selection and Description of Participants This retrospective cohort study was performed in the period of February 2011 to July 2012. A total of 58 consecutive patients referred to the Department of Diagnostic Imaging at King Saud Medical City with knee joint symptoms were recruited. After the nature of the exam was fully explained, informed consent was obtained from both the consecutively enrolled outpatient and the Department of Diagnostic Imaging. Also prior to samples scanning, a formal approval was obtained from Ethics and Scientific Committee of King Saud Medical City. Saudi patient characteristics; including socio-demographic data, clinical history and physical examination findings were recorded. Patients who had no clinical evidence of knee joint pain, and or knee joint involvement were not included in this study. 2.2. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Instrument MRI Acquisition Knees were imaged by using transmit- receive four-channel knee coil and a 1.5-Tesla superconducting magnet (Gyroscan Intera; Philips Medical Systems, Best, the Netherlands). 2.3. Methodology Each examination consisted of the following: coronal intermediate-weighted (repetition time msec/echo time msec, 2200/20) and T2- weighted (2200/80) dual spin-echo images (number of signals acquired, two; section thickness, 5 mm; intersection gap, 0.5 mm; field of view, 160 mm; acquisition matrix, 205×256; and number of sections, 18), sagittal intermediate-weighted (2200/20) and T2- weighted 4