Postero-anterior radiogram of the knee in weight-bearing and semiflexion. Comparison with MR imaging.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose was four-fold: to assess the reproducibility of p.a. weight-bearing radiograms of the knee and the minimal joint-space (MJS) width measurements in these radiograms; to compare the MJS with MR-detected cartilage defects; to evaluate the location of these cartilage defects; and to estimate the relation between meniscal abnormalities and joint-space narrowing.


METHODS
Fifty-nine individuals, aged 41-58 years (mean 50), with chronic knee pain were examined by means of p.a. weight-bearing radiograms in semiflexion with fluoroscopic guidance of the knee joint. The MJS was measured with a standard ruler. On the same day MR imaging was performed with proton-density- and T2-weighted turbo spin-echo on a 1.0 T imager. Meniscal abnormalities and cartilage defects in the tibiofemoral joint (TFJ) were noted.


CONCLUSIONS
The p.a. view of the knee and the MJS measurements were reproducible. MJS of 3 mm is a limit in diagnosing joint-space narrowing in knees with MR-detected cartilage defects. There was a high proportion (p < 0.001) of meniscal abnormality within the narrowed compartments in comparison with those that were not narrowed. A larger number of the cartilage defects (p < 0.05) was found in the medial femoral condyle than in any of the other condyles of the TFJ. The defects had a dorsal location (p < 0.001) as shown in the weight-bearing radiograms of the knee in semiflexion.
Boegård
T
T
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, County Hospital, Helsingborg, Sweden.
Rudling
O
O
Petersson
I F
IF
Sanfridsson
J
J
Saxne
T
T
Svensson
B
B
Jonsson
K
K
D000328:Adult; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013977:Tibia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D016474:Weight-Bearing