Please help me understand what this MRI report is saying, and what may be my options.


Procedure: MRI Left Knee

History: Previous injury to the knee with surgery in May repairing a cartilage defect along the lateral tibial plateau. New swelling and pain.

Technique: The examination is preformed on the open .3 tesla magnet with sagittal, axial and coronal sequences obtained.

Findings: There is no significant increase in joint fluid. The quadriceps tendon and patellar tendon are intact. The anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments are intact. The medal and lateral collateral ligament are intact. There continues to be signal in the femoral attachment of the medial collateral ligament consistent with previous injury.

There is some degeneration involving the lateral meniscus but no discrete tear is identified. The medial meniscus is intact. The bone marrow signal is normal. There is no abnormal signal in the lateral tibial plateau and no thinning of the cartilage can be identified.

Impression: Thickening and internal signal in the medial collateral ligament consistent with previous sprain/scarring. Mild degeneration involving the lateral meniscus without a discrete tear identified.