Radiology, Vol 208, 49-55, Copyright © 1998 by Radiological Society of North America

ARTICLES

Quantitative MR imaging evaluation of chondropathy in osteoarthritic knees

JL Drape, E Pessis, GR Auleley, A Chevrot, M Dougados and X Ayral
Department of Radiology, Hopital Cochin, Paris, France.

PURPOSE: To determine the validity and the reliability of T1-weighted three-dimensional gradient-echo magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for quantification of articular cartilage abnormalities of osteoarthritic knees. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-three patients (mean age, 63 years) with knee osteoarthritis (American College of Rheumatology criteria) of the medial tibiofemoral compartment underwent a prospective, cross- sectional study. Knees were examined with a T1-weighted three- dimensional gradient-echo sequence (1.4-mm contiguous sections), with use of a 0.2-T dedicated MR unit, before arthroscopic exploration. The tibiofemoral articular cartilage abnormalities were quantified blindly on both the MR and arthroscopic images with the French Society of Arthroscopy (SFA) score (0-100) and grading scheme (five grades). RESULTS: There was a statistically significant correlation between the SFA-arthroscopic score and the SFA-MR score (r = .83) and between the SFA-arthroscopic grade and the SFA-MR grade (weighted kappa = 0.84). The deepest cartilage lesions graded with arthroscopy and MR imaging showed correlation in the medial femoral condyle (weighted kappa = 0.83) and in the medial tibial plateau (weighted kappa = 0.84). The intraobserver reliability of the SFA-MR score was higher (r = .94) than the interobserver reliability (r = .80). CONCLUSION: Quantification of chondropathy with MR imaging is feasible and well correlated with anatomic cartilage breakdown.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. Wang, C. Ding, A. E. Wluka, S. Davis, P. R. Ebeling, G. Jones, and F. M. Cicuttini Factors affecting progression of knee cartilage defects in normal subjects over 2 years Rheumatology, January 1, 2006; 45(1): 79 - 84. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. W. Hayes, D. A. Jamadar, G. W. Welch, M. L. Jannausch, L. L. Lachance, D. C. Capul, and M. R. Sowers Osteoarthritis of the Knee: Comparison of MR Imaging Findings with Radiographic Severity Measurements and Pain in Middle-aged Women Radiology, December 1, 2005; 237(3): 998 - 1007. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. E. Wluka, C. Ding, G. Jones, and F. M. Cicuttini The clinical correlates of articular cartilage defects in symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: a prospective study Rheumatology, October 1, 2005; 44(10): 1311 - 1316. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C Ding, F Cicuttini, F Scott, H Cooley, and G Jones Association between age and knee structural change: a cross sectional MRI based study Ann Rheum Dis, April 1, 2005; 64(4): 549 - 555. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M-J Berthiaume, J-P Raynauld, J Martel-Pelletier, F Labonte, G Beaudoin, D A Bloch, D Choquette, B Haraoui, R D Altman, M Hochberg, et al. Meniscal tear and extrusion are strongly associated with progression of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis as assessed by quantitative magnetic resonance imaging Ann Rheum Dis, April 1, 2005; 64(4): 556 - 563. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J-P Pelletier and J Martel-Pelletier Therapeutic targets in osteoarthritis: from today to tomorrow with new imaging technology Ann Rheum Dis, November 1, 2003; 62(90002): ii79 - 82. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. L. Cameron, K. K. Briggs, and J. R. Steadman Reproducibility and Reliability of the Outerbridge Classification for Grading Chondral Lesions of the Knee Arthroscopically Am. J. Sports Med., January 1, 2003; 31(1): 83 - 86. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]