title: Evaluation of Chondrocalcinosis and Associated Knee Joint Degeneration Using MR Imaging: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the ability of different MRI sequences to detect chondrocalcinosis within knee cartilage and menisci, and to analyze the association with joint degeneration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects with radiographic knee chondrocalcinosis (n = 90, age 67.7 ± 7.3 years, 50 women) were selected from the Osteoarthritis Initiative and matched to controls without radiographic chondrocalcinosis (n = 90). Visualization of calcium-containing crystals (CaC) was compared between 3D T1-weighted gradient-echo (T1GE), 3D dual echo steady-state (DESS), 2D intermediate-weighted (IW), and proton density (PD)-weighted fast spin-echo (FSE) sequences obtained with 3T MRI and correlated with a semiquantitative CaC score obtained from radiographs. Structural abnormalities were assessed using Whole-Organ MRI Score (WORMS) and logistic regression models were used to compare cartilage compartments with and without CaC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Correlations between CaC counts of MRI sequences and degree of radiographic calcifications were highest for GE (rT1GE= 0.73, P < 0.001; rDESS= 0.68, P < 0.001) compared to other sequences (P > 0.05). Meniscus WORMS was significantly higher in subjects with chondrocalcinosis compared to controls (P = 0.005). Cartilage defects were significantly more frequent in compartments with CaC than without (patella: P = 0.006; lateral tibia: P < 0.001; lateral femur condyle: P = 0.017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gradient-echo sequences were most useful for the detection of chondrocalcinosis and presence of CaC was associated with higher prevalence of cartilage and meniscal damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Magnetic resonance imaging is useful for assessing burden of calcium-containing crystals (CaC). • Gradient-echo sequences are superior to fast spin echo sequences for CaC imaging. • Presence of CaC is associated with meniscus and cartilage degradation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, 185 Berry St, Suite 350, San Francisco, CA, 94107, USA. alexandra.gersing@ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: Alexandra S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gersing
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, 185 Berry St, Suite 350, San Francisco, CA, 94107, USA.
authors.forename: Benedikt J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Schwaiger
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, 185 Berry St, Suite 350, San Francisco, CA, 94107, USA.
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Heilmeier
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, 185 Berry St, Suite 350, San Francisco, CA, 94107, USA.
authors.forename: Gabby B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, 185 Berry St, Suite 350, San Francisco, CA, 94107, USA.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Facchetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, 185 Berry St, Suite 350, San Francisco, CA, 94107, USA.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kretzschmar
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, 550 16th Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, 550 16th Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
authors.forename: Charles E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: McCulloch
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, 550 16th Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Nevitt
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, 185 Berry St, Suite 350, San Francisco, CA, 94107, USA.
authors.forename: Lynne S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Steinbach
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, 185 Berry St, Suite 350, San Francisco, CA, 94107, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Link
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002805:Chondrocalcinosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D000072600:Meniscus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015588:Observer Variation; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010329:Patella / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography
keywords: Cartilage imaging; Chondrocalcinosis; Magnetic resonance imaging; Musculoskeletal imaging; Osteoarthritis