Help understanding my mri before seeing doctor again.

[baustell]

Findings
-Thin medial plica
-Patellar tendon demonstrates limited intrasubstance degenerative signal at the proximal and distal insertions
-mild lateral subluxation of the patella with respect to the trochlea
-Mild fluid intensity signal is identified proximal to the patellar tendon
-Mucinous degenerative change of the anterior cruciate ligament is intact
-Lateral meniscus demonstrates intrasubstance degenerative signal without surfacing meniscal tear.
-Subchondral marrow edema is identified within the posterior lateral femoral condyle with mild inhomogeneity of the overlying cartilage.
-IMPRESSION:
Intrasubstance degenerative signal within the menisci without surfacing medial meniscal tear. Intact meniscal roots.
Small to moderate joint effusion . Thin medial plica.


Mucinous degenerative change of the anterior cruciate ligament.

Suggestion of mild lateral subluxation of the patella with respect to the trochlea. Correlation with respect to patella stability recommended. No MRI findings to suggest recent or remote patellar dislocation.

Subchondral marrow edema within the posterior lateral femoral condyle with inhomogeneity of the overlying posterior lateral femoral cartilage without detached or displaced osteochondral lesion

[specialmom]

So many big words, right? When is your doctors appointment. Subchondral marrow edema means you have fluid building up or a lesion in your bone marrow and it is usually from a fracture or osteoarthritis. Osteochondral lesion also often comes about due to fracture. Sublexation of petella I believe means dislocation of the knee cap. Mucinous degenerative change is kind of rare from what I've read and can limit motion. Are you experiencing that? Plica are layers in the knee. There are usually 4 and they help it bend and move. It sounds like there is an issue with your medial plica. It can be from irritation or injury.

Sounds like your knee is jacked up. When is your appointment with your doctor to go over the findings? Can you come back and tell me what he says?

[baustell]

Hi, I went to the doctor this week, but it didn't go as expected and I was quite shocked. This is because due to what I had researched from the MRI findings, my symptoms, and my age it didn't make sense to me. Background to how all this came to be and then I will tell you what I was told by the doctor. I injured my knee back in 2014 with a meniscus tear. The surgery did not go as planned and they were unable to fix the tear, so they just left it. Then in April 2022 I was in a car accident that reinjured my knee. My knee has been super swollen since May 9th, I am just now able to put some weight on it. It does not bend or straighten easily, and bending is the worst. I have to wear the brace on it or when walking it will lockout/hyperextend because it is very unstable. When I went into the doctor, she said she was shocked because the only thing she saw was a possible meniscus tear and a strained or sprained tendon that helps the knee cap. She said with how sore I am she was expecting the MRI to find more. She said she wanted me to do pt for 2 weeks and then go see another doctor within the practice because of how sore and unstable it is. It didn't make sense based off what I saw and the shape of my knee, plus it seemed to me she was confused if she needs me to go to someone else now.  So I will go see them in a week and a half but I will also be seeking a 2nd opinion.