Assessment of Correlation of Radiographic Findings and Cartilage Abnormalities on MRI in Osteoarthritis Knee Patients
Assessment of Correlation of Radiographic Findings and Cartilage Abnormalities on MRI in Osteoarthritis Knee Patients
Abstract
Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a widely prevalent disease worldwide and is a major public health problem that primarily affects the elderly.The present study was undertaken to define the radiographic findings of osteoarthritis (OA) of knee joint using Kellgren-Lawrence scores and to define cartilage abnormalities on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Subjects and Methods: Present study was conducted on 50 patients presenting with knee pain and clinical suspicion of osteoarthritis. Antero-posterior radiographs of the knee were obtained in a weight-bearing extended position by using a standard radiographic technique. All radiographs were assigned scores by using the Kellgren-Lawrence scoring system.Cartilages alterations on MRI were assigned grades as follows: grade 0, normal; grade I, internal signal intensity alteration only; grade IIA, defect of cartilage of less than 50%; grade IIB, defect of cartilage of 50%99%; grade IIIA, 100% defect of cartilage with no bone ulceration; or grade IIIB, 100% defect of cartilage with subjacent bone ulceration. Radiographic and MR imaging findings were compiled as per performa and subjected to analysis using appropriate statistical tests. Results: Among 26 patients of grade 0 K-L score, 6, 4, 6, 4, 4 and 2 patients had grade 0, grade 1, grade 2A, grade 2B, grade 3A and grade 3B Cartilage abnormality (On MRI) respectively. Among 8 patients of grade 1 K-L score, 2, 2, 2 and 2 patients had grade 0, grade 2A, grade 2B and grade 3A Cartilage abnormality (On MRI) respectively. Among 14 patients of grade 2 K-L score, 1, 4, 4 and 5 patients had grade 2A, 2B, 3A and grade 3B Cartilage abnormality (On MRI) respectively. Among 2 patients of grade 3 K-L score, both of these had grade 3B Cartilage abnormality (On MRI). Conclusion: MRI plays an important role in imaging the bony and soft tissues of knee as a whole organ, thereby helping in better management and outcome of the disease.