title: Comparison of hip joint cartilage degeneration assessed by histology and ex vivo optical coherence tomography.
abstract: The aim of this study is to validate optical coherence tomography (OCT) in assessing human articular cartilage by means of histological analyses. Twenty resected human femoral head specimens were evaluated with OCT and histological analysis. OCT and histological evaluation was performed according to the Bear and the Mankin criteria. OCT grades and Mankin scores (total score and sub-score structure) were correlated and intra-/inter-observer agreement for repeated OCT evaluations was tested by interclass-correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis. OCT grades and Mankin scores were correlated [Spearman correlation=0.742 (total) and 0.656 (structure), P<0.001], revealing significant differences between the histological scores in various OCT grades of cartilage degeneration (P<0.001). Intra-observer (ICC 0.930) and inter-observer (ICC 0.933) reliability was high (P<0.001). OCT appears to be reliable in the assessment of human articular cartilage. Further studies on intra-operative cartilage evaluation by OCT are necessary to substantiate its applicability in clinical routine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty , Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pilge
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty , Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Klaudia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huber-van der Velden
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty , Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herten
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty , Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurzidem
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty , Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Rüdiger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krauspe
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty , Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bittersohl
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty , Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zilkens
keywords: cartilage; hip; optical coherence tomography; reliability