RSNA: Large Knee MRI Study Reveals Greater Incidence of ACL Tears in Men

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are significantly more prevalent in men than women, according to new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) research to be presented today at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting.

For the retrospective study, researchers reviewed data from knee MRI exams for 13,549 patients who presented with knee pain. The study authors examined differences between men and women with respect to various injuries, including posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tears, ACL tears, medial collateral ligament (MCL) tears, medial meniscal (MM) tears and other injuries.

The researchers found a 20 percent higher incidence of ACL tears among men in comparison to women. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears in combination with medial meniscal (MM) or lateral meniscal (LM) tears were also more common in men than women, according to the study authors.

“Contrary to available literature, our results showed a significantly higher prevalence of ACL injuries in male patients in both age-stratified and non-age-stratified comparisons,” noted Ali Ghasemi, M.D., a postdoctoral research fellow at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and colleagues.

While medial meniscal and MCL tears were more common in men, the researchers also noted these injuries had a higher prevalence in older women than older men.

“Both men and women should take precautions to avoid high-impact injuries, especially during sports or physical activity and women, especially over 40, should pay attention to joint health and consider incorporating dedicated strength training to help protect their knees as they age,” added study co-author Jenifer Pitman, M.D., an assistant professor of radiology at Johns Hopkins Medical Institute in Baltimore.

The study authors noted no significant differences between men and women with respect to posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tears, patellar tendon tears, patellofemoral dislocation or combinations of ACL tears with PCL tears, lateral collateral ligament complex (LCL) tears or MCL tears.

(Editor’s note: For related content, see “MRI Study Emphasizes Exercise Over Weight Loss in Preserving Muscle Volume for Overweight Patients at Risk for Knee OA,” “Could AI-Powered Abbreviated MRI Reinvent Detection for Structural Abnormalities of the Knee?” and “Study Examines Impact of Deep Learning on Fast MRI Protocols for Knee Pain.”)

Reference

1. Ghasemi A, Ahlawat S, Fayad LM, Pitman J. Injury patterns in knee MRI: is there a gender gap? Presentation at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting, November 30-December 4, 2025, Chicago.