MRI appearance of meniscal cysts

Abstract

Most of the meniscal cysts (91%) occurred immediately adjacent to the meniscal tear (98% horizontal cleavage tears, 49% anterolateral), with the tear leading directly into the cysts. In two cases, the cyst had dissected into the soft tissues distant from the meniscus and a connecting stalk was visualized. Fluid collections in normal bursae and recesses that had been mistaken for meniscal cysts had no direct connection to a meniscal tear. MRI can be used to distinguish meniscal cysts from other fluid collections that may mimic meniscal cysts. Pitfalls can be avoided by familiarity with the normal bursal and capsular anatomy, and by the application of specific diagnostic criteria.

Pericruciate intra-articular lateral meniscal cyst without meniscal tear

“…Earlier criteria to differentiate posterior pericruciate meniscal cyst and a PCL ganglionic cyst in the posterior intercondylar fossa of the knee have been mentioned in literature [2,15]. Our case was different being from the anterior horn.…”

Paralabral cysts in the hip joint: findings at MR arthrography

“…It is generally accepted that parameniscal cysts in the knee are associated with meniscal tears [8][9][10][11][12] and paralabral cysts in the shoulder with labral tears [13]. Both require therapy, not only of the cysts, but also of the associated meniscal or labral abnormality in order to prevent recurrence of cyst formation [14].…”

Ecografia ad alta risoluzione nella patologia cistica meniscale del ginocchio: nostra esperienza

“…Le dimensioni delle cisti sono molto variabili e possono essere cospicue, come evidenziato nella nostra casistica, con formazione di pseudocapsula e talora riscontro anche di sepimentazioni interne. La forma intrameniscale, meno frequente, appare come una raccolta fluida a morfologia ovalare più o meno ampia, in sede intrameniscale [12,13]. La diagnosi ecografica di cisti parameniscale si basa sulla identificazione della raccolta fluida contraente stretti rapporti di continuità con la cavità articolare ed, in particolare, con la corrispondente fibrocartilagine meniscale da cui si origina.…”

“…Meniscal cyst size varies considerably and may also be very large, as seen in our series, with the formation of a pseudocapsule and in some cases internal septation. The less frequent intrameniscal variant appears as an oval fluid collection of variable size [12,13]. US diagnosis of a parameniscal cyst is based on identification of a fluid collection in close continuity with the articular cavity and, in particular, with the corresponding meniscal fibrocartilage from RM e alla HRUS lesioni erosive delle strutture ossee limitrofe.…”