MRI Report – Hip, Knee, Shoulder & Elbow
(Patient Summary-Dr Mike Millar)

Reason for Scan:
You’re experiencing ongoing pain in your right knee following an injury. A possible meniscus tear was suspected, so we arranged an MRI to better understand what’s going on.

What the MRI shows:

• Joint Wear and Tear: There are signs of early arthritis, especially in the inner (medial) part of your knee, where there are small bony outgrowths known as osteophytes.

• Bone Stress Injury: There is a stress-type fracture (called a subchondral insufficiency fracture) in the upper part of your shinbone (medial tibial plateau). This area shows signs of bruising (bone marrow swelling), indicating it's been under strain.

• Meniscus Tear: There is a tear at the root of the posterior horn of your medial meniscus – this is an important shock-absorbing structure in the knee.

• Tendon Changes: There is some wear and small tearing seen within the semimembranosus tendon, one of the hamstring tendons, which suggests tendon overuse (tendinopathy).

• Bursitis: A small fluid buildup (effusion) is present in the semimembranosus-gastrocnemius bursa, a small cushioning sac behind the knee.

• Ligaments: The main stabilising ligaments – the ACL, PCL, MCL, and lateral ligaments – all appear to be intact.

• Other Structures:

  • The cartilage on the outer side of your knee (lateral compartment) looks normal.

  • The lateral meniscus, popliteus tendon, iliotibial band (ITB), and the nearby tibiofibular joint also look normal.

  • Your patellar tendon is intact, and there’s no concern with the surrounding fat pads.

  • There are some bone spurs (enthesophytes) where the quadriceps attach, but nothing concerning.

• Fluid in the Knee: There is a moderate amount of fluid in the joint, likely due to inflammation from the injury and underlying issues.

In Summary (Conclusion):

• Stress-type fracture in the top of the shinbone (medial tibial plateau).

• Root tear of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus.

• Mild tendon damage (tendinopathy with a small tear) in the semimembranosus tendon.