Knee MRI
Examination of the knee joint
The knee joint is one of the most stressed joints in our body. When cushioning jumps, it often carries three times our original body weight. Pain and restricted movement of the knee can result from degenerative diseases as well as accidents. At ARISTRA, you will receive a prompt and uncomplicated clarification of your complaints. You benefit from the internationally active expert network of our radiologists.
When to go for a knee MRI?
An MRI of the knee can clarify many complaints. Not every type of knee pain has to be caused by a disease or severe injury. Often the reason for pain is overstraining, for example, after a strenuous hiking tour. However, an MRI examination makes sense for the following symptoms - especially if the symptoms persist for a long time:
- Persistent knee pain at rest or under stress
- Redness and swelling of the knee joint
- Sharp pain
- Pain around the kneecap
- Wobbly knees
- Stiff knees / restricted mobility
- Pain after operations
Procedure of the knee MRI
Dr. med.
Nikolaus Loehr
Certified radiology specialist
Expert for the musculoskeletal system
Dr. med. Nikolaus Loehr has a medical specialization in radiology with a focus on MRI of the musculoskeletal system. He studied at the University of Zurich, assisted in orthopedics at the Endoklinik Zurich, and has published and obtained his doctorate in trauma surgery.
Dr. med. Nikolaus Loehr has a medical specialization in radiology with a focus on the musculoskeletal system. He has researched and worked in trauma surgery.
More about
Dr. med.
Kai-Thorsten Müller
Specialist for radiology
Expert in abdomen, neurology and orthopaedics
Dr. med. Kai-Thorsten Müller has many years of experience in cross-sectional imaging of the musculoskeletal system in neurology and the abdomen.
Dr. med. Kai-Thorsten Müller has many years of experience in cross-sectional imaging of the musculoskeletal system in neurology and the abdomen.
Prof. Dr. med.
Lorenz Jäger
Specialist in diagnostic radiology
Expert for oncological and ENT radiology
Prof. Dr. med. Lorenz Jäger is an expert in ENT radiology, neuroradiology, musculoskeletal radiology and oncological radiology and completed his specialist training at the LMU in Munich. He has held two visiting professorships since 2018.
Prof. Dr. med. Lorenz Jäger is an ENT, neuro-, musculoskeletal and oncological radiology expert. He has held two visiting professorships since 2018.
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Dr. med.
Andreas Kasperczyk
Certified radiology specialist
Expert for temporomandibular joints and MR mammography
Dr. med. Andreas Kasperczyk is a radiology specialist and expert in musculoskeletal radiology, of the temporomandibular joints (CMD) and MR mammography. As head of his own practice, he gathered years of experience in the field of temporomandibular joint diagnostics, which he now successfully uses for ARISTRA.
Dr. med. Andreas Kasperczyk is a specialist in radiology and an expert in musculoskeletal radiology, of the temporomandibular joints (CMD) and MR mammography.
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Dr. med.
Michael Willert
Certified radiology specialist
Expert for MSK and oncological radiology
Dr. med. Michael Willert specialises in diagnostic radiology and specialises in diagnosing the musculoskeletal system. He also specialises in multi-parametric MRI of the prostate and oncological imaging.
Dr. med. Michael Willert is a specialist in diagnostic radiology and specialises in the musculoskeletal system, the prostate and oncological imaging.
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PD Dr. med.
Andreas Lubienski
Medical specialist for radiology
Expert for abdomen and musculoskeletal system
Priv.-Doz. Andreas Lubienski is a specialist in diagnostic radiology and an expert in abdominal, musculoskeletal, and interventional radiology. He worked on more than 150 publications during his scientific career as an Author and co-author.
Priv.-Doz. Andreas Lubienski is a specialist in radiology and an expert in abdominal, musculoskeletal, and interventional radiology.
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Jonas Roesler
Certified radiology specialist
Expert for the musculoskeletal system
Jonas Roesler completed his radiology specialist training at various large hospitals with a focus on internal medicine and surgery. One of his strengths is his versatility in internal medicine issues. He has been in private practice since 2020.
Jonas Roesler completed his radiology specialist training at various large hospitals with a focus on internal medicine and surgery.
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PD Dr. med.
Erika Jung-Ulbrich
Certified radiology specialist
Specialist musculoskeletal system
PD Dr. med. Erika Jung-Ulbrich is an expert in musculoskeletal radiology, with a focus on MRI of the musculoskeletal system. She completed her habilitation in musculoskeletal radiology at the University of Zurich and worked for several years as a senior physician at the University Hospital Zurich.
PD Dr. med. Erika Jung-Ulbrich is an expert in musculoskeletal radiology, with a focus on MRI of the musculoskeletal system.
The first point of contact for patients with pain in the knee joint is usually the orthopaedist or your family doctor. If your orthopaedic surgeon orders an MRI, you can make an appointment at the ARISTRA radiology practices as soon as possible. You can request an appointment via the online form or call one of our locations.
On the examination day, come to the practice and remove all metallic objects. Remove the corresponding clothing items if a metal is on your trousers or top. You do not need to be sober for an examination of the knee.
The MRI examination of the knee takes approx. 20 minutes. The patient will lie on their back and wear ear protection as the MRI machine makes loud knocking noises. The examination can be interrupted or cancelled anytime by pressing an emergency button. For patients with claustrophobia, we also have a mild sedative available. If you would like to take advantage of this offer, you should come to the appointment with an accompanying person. At ARISTRA, we generally work with modern MRI machines with an opening of up to 70 centimetres.
On the examination day, come to the practice and remove all metallic objects. Remove the corresponding clothing items if a metal is on your trousers or top. You do not need to be sober for an examination of the knee.
The MRI examination of the knee takes approx. 20 minutes. The patient will lie on their back and wear ear protection as the MRI machine makes loud knocking noises. The examination can be interrupted or cancelled anytime by pressing an emergency button. For patients with claustrophobia, we also have a mild sedative available. If you would like to take advantage of this offer, you should come to the appointment with an accompanying person. At ARISTRA, we generally work with modern MRI machines with an opening of up to 70 centimetres.
Good to know
An MRI scan of the knee is usually performed with the feet first. This way, a large part of the body - first and foremost, the head - remains outside the MRI tube.
Contrast agent in the MRI examination of the knee
A contrast medium is not needed in most cases when examining the joint. We only need a contrast medium for the MRI in cases of suspected rheumatic diseases or suspected tumours. For this purpose, we insert venous access before the examination, through which the agent is injected. The contrast medium used by ARISTRA Radiology has been tried and tested many times and has been in use for many years. Allergic reactions are infrequent, and the body usually excretes the agent without any problems.
Good to know: You will stay in practice for a short time after the examination. In case of rare side effects after administering the contrast medium, we can react quickly, and you are always in safe hands with ARISTRA.
Good to know: You will stay in practice for a short time after the examination. In case of rare side effects after administering the contrast medium, we can react quickly, and you are always in safe hands with ARISTRA.
Discussion of your report
At ARISTRA, personal contact and optimal patient care are essential to us! That is why the respective radiologist discusses the MRI findings with you directly after the examination.
In complex cases, the radiologist can examine the images on-site with the ARISTRA network. In this way, our patients always receive a precise diagnosis from specialists in the relevant field.
In complex cases, the radiologist can examine the images on-site with the ARISTRA network. In this way, our patients always receive a precise diagnosis from specialists in the relevant field.
MRI Knee » At a glance
Duration and price
approx. 20 minutes
Upon request*
Examination
Radiation-free
Quick appointment
* Prices depend on the individual case. Furthermore, we must consider your insurance status and whether you are a national or international customer. In most locations in Germany, we can only work with patients who have private insurance or are self-paying.
Which diseases can be diagnosed by MRI?
A variety of conditions can affect the mobility and stability of the knee. Many of them are degenerative, i.e. they continue to worsen over time. Typical diseases include osteoarthritis, cartilage damage and necrosis. In most cases, accidents are to blame for knee pain. Various types of sports can put much strain on the knees. In addition, falls can injure structures in the knee. We can diagnose the following damage in the MRI at ARISTRA:
- Meniscus tear
- Cruciate ligament tear
- Inner and outer ligament tear
- Fractures of the bones
- Luxation of the patella
- Malformation of the kneecap
- Leg malpositions
Good to know
In Germany, about 3 million people are affected by osteoarthritis of the knee joint. An early diagnosis utilizing MRI helps with a quick start of conservative therapy.
What does the doctor see on a knee MRI?
With the help of a medical MRI examination of the knee, you can detect various diseases in and around the knee. The precise MRI images show degenerative diseases and injuries after accidents, such as a tear of the posterior cruciate ligament or anterior cruciate ligament. During an MRI, you can view the following structures:
- Bones of the knee joint
- Cartilage
- Meniscus
- Ligaments and tendons
- Bursa
- Parts of the thigh bone (femur)
- Details of the tibia and head of the fibula
Images of a MRI Knee
MRI image of a healthy knee. White arrow = anterior cruciate ligament. Yellow arrow = posterior cruciate ligament
MRI image of a healthy knee. White arrow = anterior cruciate ligament. Yellow arrow = posterior cruciate ligament
MRI knee lateral view of the knee joint. Complex tear in the posterior horn of the medial meniscus (arrows). Complex because the tear runs in different directions (horizontal and oblique vertical).
MRI knee lateral view of the knee joint. Complex tear in the posterior horn of the medial meniscus (arrows). Complex because the tear runs in different directions (horizontal and oblique vertical).
MRI image Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament. The ligament is wavy and much lighter than normal (arrows). Yellow star and white areas = joint effusion (bleeding into the joint due to the trauma).
MRI image Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament. The ligament is wavy and much lighter than normal (arrows). Yellow star and white areas = joint effusion (bleeding into the joint due to the trauma).
Frontal view of the knee joint. Missing cartilage (blue arrows) due to osteoarthritis with accompanying irritation in the bone (white arrows) and support reactions (yellow arrows), star= displaced meniscus (extrusion).
Frontal view of the knee joint. Missing cartilage (blue arrows) due to osteoarthritis with accompanying irritation in the bone (white arrows) and support reactions (yellow arrows), star= displaced meniscus (extrusion).
MRI knee of the healthy patellar tendon. Lateral view of the knee joint. Normal view of the patellar tendon (white arrows): black and slender.
MRI knee of the healthy patellar tendon. Lateral view of the knee joint. Normal view of the patellar tendon (white arrows): black and slender.
Lateral view of the knee joint. At the origin of the patellar tendon there is a thickening of the tendon with bright signals (yellow arrow) indicating a stress reaction in the tendon.
Lateral view of the knee joint. At the origin of the patellar tendon there is a thickening of the tendon with bright signals (yellow arrow) indicating a stress reaction in the tendon.
Why come to ARISTRA?
Specialist appointments at short notice
Interpretation of your findings by an expert
State-of-the-art technology
We offer this examination at the following locations:
Make an MRI appointment
We can usually offer you an appointment for an MRI examination at short notice. You can request your preferred appointment via this form.