Objectives To compare thigh muscle intramuscular fat (intraMF) fractions and area between people with and without knee radiographic osteoarthritis (ROA); and to evaluate the relationships of quadriceps adiposity and area with strength, function and knee MRI lesions. Methods Ninety six subjects (ROA: KL >1; n = 30, control: KL = 0,1; n = 66) underwent 3-Tesla MRI of the thigh muscles using chemical shift-based water/fat MR imaging (fat fractions) and the knee (clinical grading). Subjects were assessed for isometric/isokinetic quadriceps/hamstrings strength, function (KOOS, stair climbing test [SCT], and 6-minute walk test [(6MWT]. Thigh muscle intraMF fractions, muscle area and strength, and function were compared between controls and ROA subjects, adjusting for age. Relationships between measures of muscle fat/area with strength, function, KL and lesion scores were assessed using regression and correlational analyses. Results The ROA group had worse KOOS scores but SCT and 6MWT were not different. The ROA group had greater quadriceps intraMF fraction but not for other muscles. Quadriceps strength was lower in ROA group but the area was not different. Quadriceps intraMF fraction but not area predicted self-reported disability. Aging, worse KL, and cartilage and meniscus lesions were associated with higher quadriceps intraMF fraction. Conclusion Quadriceps intraMF is higher in people with knee OA and is related to symptomatic and structural severity of knee OA, where as the quadriceps area is not. Quadriceps fat fraction from chemical shift-based water/fat MR imaging may have utility as a marker of structural and symptomatic severity of knee OA disease process.

SUMMARY Objective The purpose of this study was to analyze the longitudinal association between physical activity levels and early degenerative cartilage changes in the knee, measured using T2 relaxation times over a period of 4 years in individuals without clinical or radiographic evidence of OA. Design Cartilage T2 was measured at baseline and after 2 and 4 years in 205 subjects aged 45–60 years from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) incidence and normal cohorts with no knee pain (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score of zero), and a Kellgren Lawrence (KL) score of <2 at baseline. Physical activity was scored using the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) questionnaire, which was obtained yearly over 4 years. The relationship between physical activity and T2 was studied using a mixed model linear regression, including random effects, and adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Results T2 values for all PASE tertiles progressed over the 4-year period. T2 progression was increased in the highest tertile of physical activity compared to the mid-tertile at the medial tibia (MT) (P = 0.041), patella (Pat) (P = 0.019), and average T2 of all knee compartments combined (P = 0.033). Subjects with the lowest 15% PASE scores showed significantly higher T2 progression compared to the mid-level physical activity group at the lateral femur (LF) (P = 0.025), lateral tibia (LT) (P = 0.043), medial femur (MF) (P = 0.044), tibiofemoral compartment (P = 0.017), patellofemoral compartment (P = 0.016), lateral compartments (P = 0.003), and average of all compartments (P = 0.043). Conclusion High and very low PASE scores were associated with greater progression of cartilage T2 measurements in asymptomatic, middle-aged individuals, suggesting accelerated cartilage matrix biochemical degeneration over time.

Objective To study the cross-sectional association between physical activity measured with an accelerometer, structural knee abnormalities and cartilage T2-values assessed with 3T MRI. Methods We included 274 subjects from the Osteoarthritis Initiative cohort without definite radiographic osteoarthritis (KL 0 and 1) and at most mild pain, stiffness and functional limitation in the study knee (WOMAC 0–1), which had not limited their activity due to knee pain. Physical activity was measured over seven days with an ActiGraph GT1M accelerometer. Subjects were categorized by quartile of physical activity based on the average daily minutes of moderate/vigorous activity (mv-PA). MR images of the right knee (at 48-months visit) were assessed for structural abnormalities using a modified WORMS score and for T2-relaxation times derived from segmented cartilage of 4 femorotibial regions and the patella. WORMS-grades and T2-measurements were compared between activity quartiles using a linear regression model. Covariates included age, sex, BMI, knee injury, family history of knee replacement, knee symptoms, hip and ankle pain and daily wear time of the accelerometer. Results Higher mv-PA was associated with increased severity (p=0.0087) and number of lesions of the medial meniscus (p=0.0089) and severity of bone marrow edema lesions (p=0.0053). No association between cartilage lesions and mv-PA was found. T2-values of cartilage (loss, damage, abnormalities) tended to be greater in the higher quartiles of mv-PA, but the differences were non-significant. Conclusion In knees without radiographic osteoarthritis in subjects with no or mild knee pain, higher physical activity levels were associated with increases in meniscal and BMEP lesions.

Low rates of contralateral neck failure are demonstrated utilizing prospectively defined criteria for unilateral RT. The tolerances of contralateral organs are respected and patients report low to moderate levels of distress throughout treatment.

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