title: Ultrasound monitoring of the treatment of clinically significant knee osteoarthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study presented an ultrasound (US) monitoring of treatment as a new imaging US method with the results of therapy of clinically significant knee osteoarthritis.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  X-ray is widely used for knee osteoarthritis classification, which does not involve the evaluation of the soft tissue. High frequency and high resolution US of joints (arthrosonography, echoarthrography) assess not only morphologic but also functional changes in the knee joint.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the prospective study, 110 patients with clinically significant knee osteoarthritis were treated non-operative. US examination and US monitoring of therapy was performed during 24 weeks therapy period. A remission of pathomorphologic (marginal osteofytes) and pathophysiologic (effusion in anterior knee and Baker´s cyst) attributes were evaluated according the US classification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pathomorphologic attributes changes showed a static state, without remission or progression. Pathophysiologic attributes changes showed a remission during the study period. The highest remission was in the first three weeks, 60 % anterior knee effusion and 62 % Baker´s cyst. At the end of study, no changes from the initial US grade was observed in 16 % of effusion in anterior knee and 22 % of Baker´s cyst. Therapeutic resistant Baker´s cyst was present at the end of study in 36 %.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated a new method - US monitoring of therapy, which can objectivize the efficiency of treatment of clinically significant knee osteoarthritis. We would recommend US monitoring of therapy for the routine use in orthopedic clinical praxis (Tab. 6, Graph 3, Fig. 3, Ref. 15).
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vojtassak
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vojtassak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011151:Popliteal Cyst / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D005938:Glucocorticoids