title: Normative reference values of joint space width estimated by computer-aided joint space analysis (CAJSA): the distal interphalangeal joint.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study introduces reference data for a computer-aided analysis. The semiautomated computer-aided diagnostic system provides the estimation of joint space width at the distal interphalangeal joints, considering gender-specific and age-related changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  869 subjects (351 female/518 male) with hand x-rays were included and underwent measurements of joint space distances at the distal interphalangeal articulation (JSD-DIP) of the second to the fifth finger using computer-aided joint space analysis (CAJSA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data showed a notable age-related decrease of CAJSA parameters, and an accentuated age-related joint space narrowing in women. Males showed a significantly wider JSD-DIP (+ 16.7%) compared to the female cohort for all age groups. Both men and women revealed an accentuated decrease of JSD-DIP (total) in the age group from 10 to 15 years (for men -10.5% and for women -17.6%). After the age of 21 years a continuous decline of the JSD-DIP (total) is observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data present gender-specific and age-related normative reference data for computer-aided joint space analysis, which provide a valid and reliable differentiation between disease-related joint space narrowing and age-related joint space narrowing, particularly in patients with osteoarthritis of the fingers.
authors: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany. alexander.pfeil@med.uni-jena.de
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Pfeil
authors: Joachim
authors: J
authors: Böttcher
authors: Max L
authors: ML
authors: Schäfer
authors: Bettina E
authors: BE
authors: Seidl
authors: Mirco
authors: M
authors: Schmidt
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Petrovitch
authors: Jens-Peter
authors: JP
authors: Heyne
authors: Gabriele
authors: G
authors: Lehmann
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Oelzner
authors: Gert
authors: G
authors: Hein
authors: Gunter
authors: G
authors: Wolf
authors: Werner A
authors: WA
authors: Kaiser
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005384:Finger Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008662:Metacarpophalangeal Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult