Abstract:

Objectives: To assess the relationship between cartilage lesions and the other components of the knee by using a scoring system called “Whole Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging score” with magnetic resonance (MR) in the patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Materials and Methods: Fifty-three patients with symptomatic OA of the knee were recruited from the rheumatology clinic. MR studies of the knees were acquired with a 1.5 Tesla whole-body scanner using a commercial circumferential knee coil. Taking anatomical landmarks, the knee joints were evaluated in 15 different subregions and findings were scored for each region in fully extended position. Images were scored with respect to 9 independent articular features: cartilage signal and morphology, subarticular bone marrow abnormality, subarticular cysts, subarticular bone attrition, marginal osteophytes, medial and lateral meniscal integrity, anterior and posterior cruciate ligament integrity, medial and lateral collateral ligament integrity, synovitis and effusion and loose bodies. The final scores were tabulated as independent values for each feature in each of the three compartments of the knee, cumulative surface (cartilage, marrow abnormality, subarticular cysts, bone attrition, osteophytes) feature scores for each compartment, cumulative scores for each feature throughout the knee, and a total combined score for the entire knee. Results: Eighty-five percent of knees showed cartilage abnormalities. This was most frequent in the patellofemoral joint, but involvement of the lateral femorotibial joint was the least common. Among many of the individual features, particularly cartilage, bone cysts, bone attrition, osteophyte, effusion and meniscus were relatively strongly associated. Conclusion: Osseous, sinovial, meniscal and ligamentous pathologies may associate cartilage defects.

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