MRI Results Little Confused

[wuznme]

I had medial meniscus reapair 15 years ago on left knee. I recently tripped down my steps due to my cat trying to race me down there, and yes he won the race. I knew when I fell there was a problem.  Never heard a big loud pop like 15 years ago.  Went to doctor he told me it was a sprain.  I told him I was PRETTY sure it was a miniscus problem since it was on the inside of my knee and it was catching sometimes for several days depending on how long it took me to get it to go back.  It was not locking but it was catching.  He told me he didn't think and MRI was necessary.  I finally gave up and decided to see a real doctor.  Guess what he told me it's a sprain give it a week if it doesn't get better he will order an MRI.  I got VERY upset because a lot of doctors look at you like your a whining wome.  I played a lot of sports for MANY years and have had several surgeries.I played Ice hockey for 15 years and I played one year with a torrn meniscus and didn't even know it until it finally broke down. I finally said Please just give me the MRI prescription because I was very sure.  He gave it to me just to shut me up no doubt but I didn't care.  Got the MRI - BIG SHOCK NOT! tore my meniscus so much for the sprain theory from two doctors.  What I don't understand is that they say it is on the lateral posterior side.  Yes I have had pain on the lateral side of my knee for 4 or 5 years.  Went to doctors 3 different times they kept telling me it was just arthuritis.  I never bought that theory.  Going up steps was always painful.  After my fall the BIG pain is on the insdie of my knee which is the medial or so I thought.  Am I missing something here. I thought MRI's had a hard time picking up lateral tears.  The pain on the inside of my knee and is EXACTLY what I experienced 15 years ago.  Severe quad pain with cramps at night, buckling knee etc.

Well I feel better now that I vented. I know MRI's don't pick up everything but they are pretty good at picking up medial tears.

The results from the MRI are below.  Am I correct in my assumption that it is the outside (Lateral- back of knee area? Also is there a chance that the MRI missed a medial tear or small acl problem.  THis is the same knee that had surgery 15 years ago.  What is the recovery time for this type of sugery if all goes smoothly and there are no suprises when they go in?  Any clarification on the other terms would also be appreciated.

Tear posterior horn lateral meniscus. Contusions in the proximal tibia and distal femur adjacent to the lateral joint compartment as well as the fibular head. There is a marrow edema posteriorly extending to the midportion of the lateral tibial plateau as well as in the head of the fibula medial aspect.  Minimal similar edema is noted in the lateral femoral condyle.

What I do know.
Lateral is on the outside of knee.  Posterior is in the back.
 
 
 

[ex-gymnast]

I have had 3 MRI.
1.) Right ACL tear-  MRI inconclusive
2.) Left ACL tear-  MRI showed nothing
3.) Right kneecap bone spurs-  MRI  showed nothing.

So in answer to one of you questions-  yes it is possible the MRI missed something.  It depends on the anotomy of your knee and where the problem is.

Becky

[jathib]

Your cat wasn't racing, he was trying to murder you. I know this because my cat has been trying to murder me for years. I don't know why I keep feeding the fleabag.

Anyway, MRIs are not perfect and neither are the doctors that read them. I had a bone scan a while back and the radiologist said it was normal. But geez, even I could see the big, black blotches on my shoulders. My doctor said, "Oh yeah, you have some arthritis in your ac joints". Duh. My MRIs had no problem picking up the tear in my lateral meniscus, but it didn't show the tear in my medial meniscus. It was small but it was there just the same. Scopes are really the only way to see what's going on in there.