HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Stone, K. R. Articles by Richnak, J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Stone, K. R. Articles by Richnak, J.

The Frequency of Baker's Cysts Associated with Meniscal Tears

The Stone Clinic

David Stoller, MD

California Advanced Imaging, San Francisco, California

Angelo De Carli, MD

The Stone Clinic

Robert Day, ATC

The Stone Clinic

Joel Richnak

The Stone Clinic

We reviewed the films of 1760 patients who had mag netic resonance image scanning of the knee joint to assess the most common pathologic changes associ ated with an incidental finding of a Baker's cyst. Of the 1760 knees scanned, Baker's cysts were noted in 238. The cysts were classified as small (55%), medium (30%), or large (15%) and were primarily found on the medial side of the knee (94%). The menisci were eval uated and changes were classified as complete tears, where signal contacts the surface, or degenerative intrasubstance tears. One hundred eleven (47%) com plete meniscal tears were found, and 88 (37%) degen erative tears. The majority of tears were found in the posterior horn of the medial meniscus (65 complete tears and 45 degenerative tears). Thus, 199 tears were found in 170 knees, and 106 of the 170 knees (62%) had tears of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus. Baker's cysts are frequent findings on physical exam inations and on magnetic resonance imaging scans of the knee. They are thought to be due to intraarticular pathologic changes, usually posterior meniscal tears. This study documents the association between Baker's cysts and meniscal tears and notes that a complete tear is not necessary for the cyst to be present.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Rupp, R. Seil, P. Jochum, and D. Kohn Popliteal Cysts in Adults: Prevalence, Associated Intraarticular Lesions, and Results after Arthroscopic Treatment Am. J. Sports Med., January 1, 2002; 30(1): 112 - 115. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]