PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Koplas, Monica
AU  - Schils, Jean
AU  - Sundaram, Murali
TI  - The painful knee: Choosing the right imaging test
DP  - 2008 May 01
TA  - Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
PG  - 377--384
VI  - 75
IP  - 5
4099  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/75/5/377.short
4100  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/75/5/377.full
SO  - Cleve Clin J Med2008 May 01; 75
AB  - The initial evaluation of acute knee pain should include plain radiography, which is a quick and cost-effective way to identify a wide range of problems, including fracture, degenerative changes, osteochondral defects, and effusions. Computed tomography (CT) is the test of choice to better delineate fractures in patients who have knee trauma. If the history and physical examination point to damage of the cartilage, the menisci, and the cruciate and collateral ligaments and arthroscopy is contemplated, then magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is useful for evaluating these structures.