Annotation. Among the large joints, the knee joint is most often injured, which is due to the peculiarities of its structure and functional loads in the process of human life. The most common injuries are meniscus damages of the knee joint, that is the evidence of steady increase in the number of partial arthroscopic meniscectomies, which have become the most common orthopedic procedure. Diagnosis of meniscus damage is based on the results of clinical examination, sonography and MRI. Increasing the resolution of MRI machines, improving the technique of their implementation allows to improve the quality of diagnosis of meniscus ruptures and improve the results of surgical arthroscopic interventions on the knee joint. The aim of the study – to demonstrate the capabilities of high-intensity 1.5 Tesla MRI and to study the reliability of MRI signs of meniscus damage in comparison with the results of arthroscopic interventions in acute and chronic knee joint injury. The work is based on the results of MRI examinations and arthroscopic interventions of 247 patients with acute and chronic knee joint injuries aged 14 to 59 years. Medial meniscus damage was diagnosed in 206 (83.41%) patients. Lateral meniscus ruptures were diagnosed in 34 patients (13.76%). Simultaneous damage of both menisci was found in 7 (2.83%) patients. It was found that ruptures of the medial meniscus by location were: the root of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus in 4 (1.94%) patients, ruptures of the posterior horn in 82 (39.81%) patients. Injury of the posterior horn with the transition to the body of the meniscus was diagnosed in 117 (56.79%) patients. Anterior horn ruptures were detected in 3 (1.46%) patients. With ruptures of the lateral meniscus: damage of the root of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus was found in 2 (5.88%) patients, damage of the posterior horn in 9 (26.47%) patients. Posterior horn rupture with transition to the body of the meniscus was diagnosed in 19 (55.89%) patients. Isolated ruptures of the anterior horn were found in 4 (11.76%) patients. Simultaneous damage to both menisci was found in 7 (2.83%) patients. 206 (83.40%) partial meniscectomies were performed during arthroscopic interventions and meniscus suturings were performed over 41 (16.60%) patients. In order to identify meniscus damage and their location during MRI knee joint investigations 21 pseudo-positive and 18 pseudo-negative cases of diagnosis were revealed. The sensitivity of MRI for defining damage and localization of meniscus rupture was 91,7%, specificity 92,6%, diagnostic accuracy 94,8%. Discrepancies in the evaluation of meniscal damage most often occurred in cases of their combined ruptures and degenerative changes in the menisci.