A study of Articular Cartilaginous Changes in Osteoarthritis of knee Joint using MRI

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a heterogeneous and multifactorial disease characterized primarily by the progressive loss of hyaline articular cartilage. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of MR T2 mapping to detect cartilage matrix degeneration in OA patients and to compare the T2 relaxation values in normal subjects and cartilage patients with OA. It was a prospective study with a sample size of 50 subjects. Groups were based on x-ray and MR findings and consist of 25 subjects with known OA and twenty-five healthy volunteers without evidence of OA and with normal MR findings served as controls.Patients with orthopnea, claustrophobia and patients with MRI non-compatible implants were excluded from the study. The result of the study showed that the average T2 values were significantly higher in test subjects with OA when compared to controls without OA (37.43 ± 7.4 ms vs 27.4 ± 2.1 ms, P=0.0005). The average T2 values increased as KL scores increased based on x rays, with T2 values of 30.07, 32.58, 38.63and 45.37 for KL scores 1,2,3 and 4 respectively.A significant difference was found in cartilage thickness between OA patients and controls in lateral tibial plateau and patella, while other compartments showed no significant difference. T2 mapping is a non-invasive imaging technique that may improve our ability to detect early cartilage matrix degeneration, at the initial stage of pathogenesis of osteoarthritis.