MRI-based hip cartilage measures in osteoarthritic and non-osteoarthritic individuals: a systematic review

Abstract

Osteoarthritis is a common hip joint disease, involving loss of articular cartilage. The prevalence and prognosis of hip osteoarthritis have been difficult to determine, with various clinical and radiological methods used to derive epidemiological estimates exhibiting significant heterogeneity. MRI-based methods directly visualise hip joint cartilage, and offer potential to more reliably define presence and severity of osteoarthritis, but have been underused. We performed a systematic review of MRI-based estimates of hip articular cartilage in the general population and in patients with established osteoarthritis, using MEDLINE, EMBASE and SCOPUS current to June 2016, with search terms such as ‘hip’, ‘femoral head’, ‘cartilage’, ‘volume’, ‘thickness’, ‘MRI’, etc. Ultimately, 11 studies were found appropriate for inclusion, but they were heterogeneous in osteoarthritis assessment methodology and composition. Overall, the studies consistently demonstrate the reliability and potential clinical utility of MRI-based estimates. However, no longitudinal data or reference values for hip cartilage thickness or volume have been published, limiting the ability of MRI to define or risk-stratify hip osteoarthritis. MRI-based techniques are available to quantify articular cartilage signal, volume, thickness and defects, which could establish the sequence and rate of articular cartilage changes at the hip that yield symptomatic osteoarthritis. However, prevalence and rates of progression of hip osteoarthritis have not been established in any MRI studies in the general population. Future investigations could fill this important knowledge gap using robust MRI methods in population-based cross-sectional and longitudinal studies.

Osteoarthritis of the hip: is radiography still needed?

“…Cartilage defect may represent early biomarker for OA [89]. Compositional and quantitative MRI techniques of the cartilage add some insights into the sequence and rate of articular cartilage changes at the hip that precede overt hip OA [91].…”

“…The severity of BME could correlate that of pain and number of microfractures [93]. to the best of our knowledge, the prevalence and rates of progression of hip changes in OA have not been established yet at MRI [91]. It is therefore not surprising that some clinical trial organisators are reluctant in introducing MRI at inclusion or as a biomarker due to limitations in its interpretation and/or overlapping findings between symptomatic and asymptomatic hips (Table 1).…”

Etiopathogenic bases for patellofemoral arthritis development

“…В современном представлении ОА -группа гетерогенных заболеваний, возника-ющая под действием внешних и внутренних (наследственно-метаболических) факторов, результатом которых становится нарушение процессов ремоделирования первоначально в хрящевой ткани (преобладание процессов деградации и извращённого синтеза меж-клеточного матрикса), а затем и в подлежа-щей костной ткани [3][4][5]. Следует отметить, что на более поздних стадиях в патологи-ческий процесс вовлекаются все структуры суставов: субхондральная кость, синовиаль-ная оболочка, капсула, связки и структур-ные внутрисуставные элементы, в том числе мениски [6].…”

Simultaneous multi-slice MR imaging of the hip at 3 T to reduce acquisition times and maintain image quality

“…Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with high tissue contrast is essential for diagnostic imaging of the hip joint [ 1 ]. In order to facilitate initial treatments, cartilage, labrum, ligament, and tendon diseases need to be precisely diagnosed in the early stages using MRI [ 2 ].…”