Correlation of meniscus tears on MRI and arthroscopy using the ISAKOS classification provides satisfactory intermethod and inter-rater reliability

Objective To evaluate the inter-rater and intermethod correlation (reliability between MRI and arthroscopy) of knee for findings of meniscus tears using International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS) classification on both 1.5 and 3.0 T images. Methods 81 knees were evaluated in 69 patients aged 30.0±12.6 years (mean±SD). Consecutive arthroscopy-proven meniscal tears were evaluated by two board-certified radiologists on MRI and two sports surgeons on arthroscopies. The surgically validated ISAKOS classification of meniscal tears was used to describe medial meniscus (MM) and lateral meniscus (LM) tears on MRI and re-evaluation of images from completed arthroscopies. Prevalence-adjusted bias-adjusted kappa (PABAK), t-tests and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were calculated. Results For LM on 1.5 T, the agreements for location, depth, tear length and pattern were good to excellent in all categories except fair for tissue quality (PABAK=0.35–0.41) and zone 2 (PABAK=0.35) identification. For MM, the agreements were good to excellent in all except moderate for tissue quality (PABAK=0.6) and zone 1 and 3 (PABAK=0.40–0.47), and fair for zone 2 identification (PABAK=0.27). Similar results were seen on 3 T with improved LM zonal identification (PABAK=0.52–0.90) and better correlation of tear lengths, which were different on 1.5 T vs 3.0 T (p=0.01–0.03). For 1.5 T cases, both MM and LM tear lengths were larger on MRI versus arthroscopy (MM, p=0.004; LM, p=0.095). For 3 T, the MM tear lengths were larger on MRI versus arthroscopy (p=0.001). Conclusion ISAKOS classification of meniscal tears on both 1.5 and 3.0 T MRI provides satisfactory inter-rater and intermethod reliability for use in clinical practice. Level of evidence: IV.