Male 63 years old with lateral joint line pain. Evaluate for lateral meniscus tear. MENISCI: The anterior horn of the lateral meniscus appears small with globular and linear intermediate signal intensity in its substance likely representing a combination of degeneration and chronic fraying but we see no discrete fluid-filled tear. This degeneration extends into the body of the lateral meniscus and there is mild intrasubstance degeneration of the posterior horn but again, no discrete fluid-filled tear. A small collection of fluid signal intensity adjacent to the body of the lateral meniscus could represent a joint recess or parameniscal cyst and contains a 3 mm round focus of low signal intensity perhaps representing a small cartilage fragment.ARTICULAR CARTILAGE AND BONE: There is moderate degeneration of the articular cartilage of the weightbearing portion of the lateral compartment with near full-thickness and full-thickness clefts and cartilage loss particularly affecting the lateral tibial plateau with underlying subchondral cyst formation. There is a small full-thickness defect of the articular cartilage of the weightbearing surface of the medial femoral condyle with relative preservation of the articular cartilage of the medial tibial plateau. There is full-thickness loss of articular cartilage along the median eminence of the patella with underlying subchondral cyst formation and delamination of the adjacent articular cartilage of the lateral facet. There is additional partial thickness degeneration of the articular cartilage of the medial facet. There is relatively mild degeneration of the articular cartilage of the femoral trochlea.There is a small focus of abnormal signal intensity within the medial tibial plateau anteriorly just beneath the root of the medial meniscus which appears intact.LIGAMENTS: The cruciate and collateral ligaments are intact. EXTENSOR MECHANISM: The extensor mechanism is intact.ADDITIONAL
1.Degeneration and perhaps fraying of the lateral meniscus (particularly the anterior horn) but we see no discrete meniscal tear.2.Tricompartmental osteoarthritis as described above.3.Joint effusion other findings as above.