title: Validity of echographic evaluation of cartilage in gonarthrosis. Preliminary report.
abstract: We studied an echographic technique by which precise reproducible measurements of articular cartilage thickness of the knee is possible. Two groups of individuals were studied: a group of 18 patients with gonarthrosis and a control group of 10 normal individuals. The group of 18 patients with gonarthrosis was studied by ultrasound (US) before knee prosthesis surgery. The cartilage thickness was measured within the weight-bearing area. US re-evaluation and histological measurements were made on the pathological specimen following the operation. Results of pre- and post-operative US data were compared with histological data. A good correlation between these measurements was found [P(t) > 10%]. In order to have comparative reference values of the articular cartilage within the weight-bearing area of the femoral trochlea a group of 10 control subjects was also studied with US as above. We found that the articular cartilage thickness of the femoral trochlea in the weight-bearing area has a mean of 2.2 +/- 0.3 mm for the lateral condyle and 2.3 +/- 0.2 mm for the medial condyle. The intra-observer and inter-observer difference in measurements was evaluated with Student's t-test. Our data demonstrate that US measurements of articular cartilage thickness of femoral condyles is a sensitive and reproducible technique which permits early diagnosis and management of knee arthropathy as well as quantification of cartilage damage.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiology, University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Ettorre
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Angelelli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Macarini
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Patella
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Amore
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Cantatore
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012016:Reference Values; D014463:Ultrasonography