Q. I recently went to see an orthopaedic surgeon for a knee problem. I brought an MRI to the visit that my family doctor had ordered. The orthopaedic surgeon said that I also needed to get regular x-rays. Are they really necessary? I thought an MRI showed everything.

A. MRI technology is amazing in that it provides information about the knee and other joints that we were never able to see without surgery. However, they don’t always show the whole picture. Regular x-rays provide very useful information and actually compliment what you see on an MRI. In fact, degree of arthritis is better seen on many x-rays than on MRI Scans.

Your doctor is right in wanting x-rays and may ask for certain special views depending on what is found on his or her physical exam. Standing AP (front view) X-rays of the knee are very useful and I rarely ever make a final decision about recommending surgery without seeing that particular X-ray and other important views.