ACL lesions are seen frequently. Based on history taking (effusion, popping sensation, and/or giving way) and physical examination (ADT), GPs can screen for ACL lesions in primary care.

History-taking has some diagnostic value, whereas physical examination did not add any diagnostic value for detecting meniscal tears in general practice.

Purpose: The role of MR imaging in grading medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury of the knee in comparison to other grading methods (clinical findings and instrumental measurement) is hardly documented in the literature. The purpose of this study is to compare the results of MR imaging in grading acute MCL injuries to the results of a clinical grading by an instrumented valgusvarus laxity tester (WLT). Materials and methods: Twenty-one patients clinically suspected of acute MCL injury were tested by WLT, a well documented and instrumented test-device. All patients subsequently underwent MR imaging of the knee. MCL injury was graded independently by W LT and MR imaging using a classification method with reference to Petermann. Results: Nintecn patients had corresponding grading results by W LT and MR imaging (kappa, 0.83; S.E., 0.10); 14 patients had a Grade I, four a Grade II and two patients had a Grade III MR imaged MCL injury. Associated lesions were also depicted on MR imaging (bone contusion (n = 3), ACL disruption (n = 2) and medial meniscal rupture (n -I)). Conclusions: This study shows a very high degree of agreement between the results in grading acute MCL injuries with MR imaging and an instrumented valgus-varus laxity tester (WLT). MR imaging depicted important, clinically undetected, additional lesions which can determine the treatment of MCL injury.

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