title: Relationship between cartilage volume using MRI and Kellgren-Lawrence radiographic score in knee osteoarthritis with and without meniscal tears.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of our study was to evaluate the correlation between the Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) radiographic score and the femoral and tibial cartilage volumes determined by MRI in patients with knee osteoarthritis. The effect of meniscal tears and extrusion on the cartilage volume was also examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Knee cartilage was evaluated by MRI in 74 patients (20 men and 54 women) who were categorized according to the KL score. Sagittal fat-suppressed 3D spoiled gradient-echo images were obtained to calculate the cartilage volume. The cartilage volume was determined for the lateral femoral cartilage, medial femoral cartilage, lateral tibial cartilage, and medial tibial cartilage. The femoral condylar bone volume was measured to adjust for bone size in each cartilage volume measurement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjusting for age, sex, and femoral condylar bone volume, the cartilage volumes were significantly different between the grades in all compartments. Additionally, significant correlations were observed between the KL score and the adjusted cartilage volumes of lateral femoral cartilage and lateral tibial cartilage without a meniscal tear and between the KL score and the adjusted cartilage volume of medial femoral cartilage with and without a meniscal tear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings showed a significant negative association between cartilage volume and the KL score. The cartilage volume of medial femoral cartilage may be more affected by the severity of osteoarthritis grade than the presence of a meniscal tear. In contrast, the cartilage volume in the lateral tibiofemoral compartment may be easily affected by the presence of a meniscal tear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Minamikogushi, Ube, Japan. yuuko-ygc@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tokuda
authors.forename: Kouji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shiraishi
authors.forename: Tetsuhisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Motomura
authors.forename: Motoichi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Naofumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011859:Radiography; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries