title: In vivo diagnostics of human knee cartilage lesions using delayed CBCT arthrography.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of delayed cone beam (CBCT) arthrography for clinical diagnostics of knee cartilage lesions. Knee joints with cartilage lesions were imaged using native radiography, MRI, and delayed CBCT arthrography techniques in vivo. The joints were imaged three times with CBCT, just before, immediately after (arthrography) and 45 min after the intra-articular injection of contrast agent. The arthrographic images enabled sensitive detection of the cartilage lesions. Use of arthrographic and delayed images together with their subtraction image enabled also detection of cartilage with inferior integrity. The contrast agent partition in intact cartilage (ICRS grade 0) was lower (p < 0.05) than that of cartilage surrounding the ICRS grade I-IV lesions. Delayed CBCT arthrography provides a novel method for diagnostics of cartilage lesions. Potentially, it can also be used in diagnostics of cartilage degeneration. Due to shorter imaging times, higher resolution, and lower costs of CT over MRI, this technique could provide an alternative for diagnostics of knee pathologies. However, for comprehensive evaluation of the clinical potential of the technique a further clinical study with a large pool of patients having a wide range of cartilage pathologies needs to be conducted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Harri T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Kokkonen
authors.forename: Juha-Sampo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Suomalainen
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Joukainen
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kröger
authors.forename: Joonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sirola
authors.forename: Jukka S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jurvelin
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salo
authors.forename: Juha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Töyräs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001175:Arthrography / Q000379:methods*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000293:injuries*; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cartilage lesions; computed tomography; contrast agent diffusion; delayed CBCT arthrography; osteoarthrosis