Potential cost savings of MR imaging obtained before arthroscopy of the knee: evaluation of 50 consecutive patients.

Abstract

Despite stringent clinical criteria used in selecting patients for arthroscopy, 42% of our patients could have been spared surgery on the basis of the anatomy revealed by MR imaging. Our study indicates that MR imaging obtained before arthroscopy of the knee can produce a savings of as much as $680 per MR imaging examination performed on the knee.