Follow-up of grade 2 meniscal abnormalities in the stable knee.

A prospective study of grade 2 meniscal abnormalities in patients with intact anterior cruciate ligaments was done to ascertain whether such lesions progress to complete tears. A follow-up magnetic resonance (MR) image was obtained in 22 patients in whom the initial MR image showed a grade 2 lesion in one or both menisci that had been proved at arthroscopy not to be torn. On the initial images, 27 menisci contained a grade 2 lesion. At follow-up, six of the 27 lesions appeared to have decreased in size (two had completely disappeared). Eighteen lesions appeared unchanged; only three had increased in size. The mean interval between the acquisition of initial and follow-up images was 27.3 months (range, 11-41 months). The two patients whose lesion disappeared were among the youngest patients evaluated. The three patients whose abnormality increased were slightly older and more active than average. The results suggest that in most patients grade 2 lesions are stable at up to 3 years follow-up.