Macroscopic and radiological grading of osteoarthritis correlates inadequately with cartilage height and histologically demonstrable damage to cartilage structure.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the present study was to investigate different methods for determining osteoarthritis-related (OA) cartilaginous changes.


METHODS
Human tibial heads were investigated radiologically, macroscopically and microscopically. The height of the hyaline cartilage was measured with the aid of a computerised digital image analysis system.


RESULTS
The comparison of the different evaluation systems revealed, in part, appreciable variations in severity and produced correlations of r=-0.312-0.673. In none of the methods was a linear correlation between the histomorphometrically measured decrease in cartilage height and the increasing grade of OA evident.


CONCLUSIONS
The microscopic scores are superior, since they provide the most precise description of cartilaginous structure. The variation in cartilage height with increasing OA is not a linear process; measurement of the cartilage height alone is not a valid parameter for determining the grade of OA.
Saal
Andre
A
saalsen@gmx.de
Gaertner
J
J
Kuehling
M
M
Swoboda
Bernd
B
Klug
Stefan
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002102:Cadaver; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D011859:Radiography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013977:Tibia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology