LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Bears defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery Friday to determine the severity of the right knee injury he sustained Saturday night against the New York Giants.

Dusty Dvoracek will learn Friday whether he has suffered another season-ending injury.

Dvoracek was injured while sacking Andre Woodson late in the third quarter of the Bears’ 17-3 preseason win at Soldier Field.

Dvoracek has been diagnosed with a sprained MCL, but he may also have suffered a torn ACL. If that’s indeed the case, it will be repaired during the procedure by team doctors Gordon Nuber and Mark Bowen, and cause Dvoracek to miss the entire season. If his ACL is intact, he will be available to play in 2009.

The 6-3, 303-pounder has been plagued by injuries since joining the Bears in 2006 as a third-round draft pick from Oklahoma, appearing in just 13 games in three seasons.

After missing his entire rookie year with a foot injury, Dvoracek tore his left ACL in the 2007 opener and was lost for the season. He started the first 12 games last year before finishing his third straight season on injured reserve, this time with a torn biceps muscle.

At the time of his injury last year, Dvoracek led all Bears linemen with 40 tackles after registering 17 stops in a four-game span.

“I think some things just happen for whatever reason,” said coach Lovie Smith. “You can’t understand why. I don’t know the reasons why Dusty has had to deal with injuries. I know each time he has had to deal with an injury he has come back stronger. He was playing his best ball this past weekend when he had the injury. 

"Right now we’re going to keep our fingers crossed and just hope for the best and go from there.”