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Objective. To determine the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) morphological features of Baker’s cysts and to assess their correlation with the age of patients.Material and methods. The investigation was based on the assessment of MRI readings in 37 patients with Baker’s cysts; of them there were 29 (78.4%) women and 8 (21.6%) men. The mean age of the examinees was 60.3 years (25 to 82 years).Results. The mean dimensions of the cysts were measured. Their length, width, and height were 34 ± 2.1 mm, 5 ± 1.2 mm (range 4–31 mm), and 58 ± 2.9 mm, respectively. Their mean thickness was 0.7 mm. Intracystic chondral bodies were detected in 3 (7.5%) cases. These parameters were shown to be unrelated to age. It was found that all cysts were multi-chamber and an average of 6.8 chambers was detected. There was a weak, inversely proportional, statistically significant relationship between the age of the patients and the number of chambers in the cyst. The younger participants of the investigation exhibited no meniscal damage in an overwhelming case (57.1%); whereas complete and incomplete meniscal tears much more often occurred in older patients with Baker’s cysts (from 29 (78.4%) to 34 (91.9%) people, respectively).Conclusion. Degenerative bone and cartilage tissue changes in the joint increase with age, regardless of the cyst sizes.

A popliteal cyst or Baker’s cyst is easily distinguished from other cystic or solid tumors on the magnetic resonance imaging sections. At the current level of medicine development, many options have been developed for medical and surgical treatments for popliteal cysts; however, there are still disputes on their validity and efficiency. In addition, there is no consensus on the etiology and pathogenesis of the disease. MRI is known to show similar intraarticular changes in asymptomatic patients and articular syndrome patients, which could suggest that intraarticular pathological changes played a secondary role in a number of cases of Baker’s cyst formation. Under these conditions, laser-induced thermotherapy is considered by the authors to be justified. Its main goal is to coagulate the wall of the tissue cyst, which subsequently leads to obliteration of its anastomosis and cavity. Ultrasound control is used to visualize and ensure the safety of manipulation. This paper describes a case of MRI for diagnosing a popliteal cyst and monitoring the efficiency of laser-induced thermotherapy.

Objective: using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate the characteristics of pathological changes of fibro-cartilage of the knee in patients with Baker cyst, to assess the compliance of degrees of damage stages of osteoarthritis on a scale of Kellgren–Lawrence (K–L), and compare the results with the data of other researchers.Material and methods. This study included patients (38–82 years) with a cyst Baker accidentally detected during ultrasound veins of the lower extremities. The subjects underwent a single knee MRI. MRI was made in three dimensions using 3D gradient-echo protocol. Independent radiologist evaluated the presence and severity of chondral defect osteophytosis, damage to the menisci and ligaments, intraosseous edema and subchondral cysts. The osteoarthritis stage of the knee were identified by X-ray performed in a standing position in the standard two projections, with K–L scale.Results. In this study, the results of a survey of 20 people, whose average age was 57.2 years. According to the radiological scale of K–L two patients were assigned to the stage 0 degree, 5 people to stage 1, 2, 4 each, and 3 – to stage 3. Synovitis of various severity was detected in 85% of the studies. Nineteen visualized the patellar cartilage damage, the condyles of the femur and tibia are most commonly affects the joint area. Among the most commonly injured ligament anterior cruciate ligament was determined – 9 (45%) patients in the same amount of detected intramedullary edema condyles femur and tibia. Eighteen subjects had at least one anomaly meniscus detectable by MRI, while in 11 (55%) persons were deviations, at least two or more regions of the knee examined.Conclusions. Our results suggest that not all visualized on MRI degenerative damage to intra fibro-cartilaginous tissue correlate positively with the stages of osteoarthritis of the knee, identified by standard radiographs and may not significantly affect the onset and progression of synovial cyst of the popliteal region.