title: Early changes of trabecular bone structure in asymptomatic subjects with knee malalignment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether alterations of trabecular bone structure can already be found in young asymptomatic subjects with knee malalignment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight subjects with neutral, mild varus, severe varus, and valgus knee joint alignment were included in this study (12 subjects in each group). Histomorphometric and texture parameters of the trabecular bone in the medial/lateral femur/tibia were determined using 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Apparent trabecular thickness in the medial tibia compartment was lower in the valgus group (mean ± standard error, 0.353 ± 0.012 mm) compared with the neutral (0.396 ± 0.011 mm; P = 0.043), mild varus (0.403 ± 0.011 mm; P = 0.038) and severe varus groups (0.416 ± 0.013 mm; P = 0.015). In the medial femur compartment, fractal dimension was significantly greater in the mild (1.697 ± 0.005; P = 0.015) and severe varus groups (1.698 ± 0.005; P = 0.036) than in the valgus group (1.674 ± 0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The observed findings may be signs of the adaptation of the subchondral bone to altered loading conditions and possibly of early knee joint impairment.
authors.affiliation: From the *Institut für Radiologie, †Klinik und Poliklinik für Unfallchirurgie, ‡Klinik für Orthopädie und Sportorthopädie, and §Abteilung für Neuroradiologie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, München, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baum
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sauerschnig
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Penzel
authors.forename: Pia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Jungmann
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Waldt
authors.forename: Ernst J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Rummeny
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wörtler
authors.forename: Jan S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bauer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017760:Bone Malalignment / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013977:Tibia / Q000473:pathology