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Magnetic resonance imaging of the knee often reveals meniscal tears. However, whether a meniscal tear is responsible for the symptoms that prompted the MRI is not always clear. In this study from Massachusetts, 991 volunteers (age, ≥50) — recruited through random-digit dialing — underwent routine MRI and conventional radiography of the right knee and completed symptom questionnaires.
The prevalence of meniscal damage (tears or destruction) was 35%. Only about one third of people with meniscal damage reported having knee symptoms (pain, aching, or stiffness) within the previous month. Meniscal tears were found in 45% of people who reported knee symptoms on most days but also in 26% of people with lesser or no symptoms.
The prevalence of substa…