The contribution of 3D quantitative meniscal and cartilage measures to variation in normal radiographic joint space width—Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative healthy reference cohort

Abstract

Objective To explore to what extent three-dimensional measures of the meniscus and femorotibial cartilage explain the variation in medial and lateral femorotibial radiographic joint space width (JSW), in healthy men and women. Methods The right knees of 87 Osteoarthritis Initiative healthy reference participants (no symptoms, radiographic signs or risk factors of osteoarthritis; 37 men, 50 women; age 55.0±7.6; BMI 24.4±3.1) were assessed. Quantitative measures of subregional femorotibial cartilage thickness and meniscal position and morphology were computed from segmented magnetic resonance images. Minimal and medial/lateral fixed-location JSW were determined from fixed-flexion radiographs. Correlation and regression analyses were used to explore the contribution of demographic, cartilage and meniscal parameters to JSW in healthy subjects. Results The correlation with (medial) minimal JSW was somewhat stronger for cartilage thickness (0.54≤r≤0.67) than for meniscal (−0.31≤r≤0.50) or demographic measures (−0.15≤r≤0.48), in particular in men. In women, in contrast, the strength of the correlations of cartilage thickness and meniscal measures with minimal JSW were in the same range. Fixed-location JSW measures showed stronger correlations with cartilage thickness (r≥0.68 medially; r≥0.59 laterally) than with meniscal measures (r≤|0.32| medially; r≤|0.32| laterally). Stepwise regression models revealed that meniscal measures added significant independent information to the total variance explained in minimal JSW (adjusted multiple r2=58%) but not in medial or lateral fixed-location JSW (r2=60/51%, respectively). Conclusions In healthy subjects, minimal JSW was observed to reflect a combination of cartilage and meniscal measures, particularly in women. Fixed-location JSW, in contrast, was found to be dominated by variance in cartilage thickness in both men and women, with somewhat higher correlations between cartilage and JSW in the medial than lateral femorotibial compartment. The significant contribution of the meniscus’ position on minimal JSW reinforces concerns over validity of JSW as an indirect measure of hyaline cartilage.

Deep convolutional neural network for segmentation of knee joint anatomy

“…Quantitative MR imaging was first used in OA research studies to measure cartilage thickness and relaxation characteristics reflecting cartilage composition and microstructure . More recently, quantitative assessment of bone shape, bone marrow edema lesion size, synovial fluid volume, meniscus shape and position, infrapatellar fat pad volume and signal intensity, and muscle bulk have provided important information regarding the association between these structural features and joint pain and the incidence and progression of OA.…”

Predictive value of digital radiographic characteristics in combination with clinical evaluation scores in assessing the need for knee replacement

“…Oka et al's study showed that MmJSW had the greatest correlation with the severity of KOA neither lateral joint space nor osteophyte area after adjustment for age and confounding factors. Roth et al [27] found the minimal joint space width reflected a combination of cartilage and meniscal measures, particularly in women. While KL grade was a discrete variable which could not reflect the nuances of the knee joint width, the multiple regression model revealed that the KL grade had no significant difference between the KR group and the KOA group.…”

Osteoarthritis year in review 2017: updates on imaging advancements

“…They demonstrated that sub-regional femorotibial cartilage thickness predicts knee replacement surgery with an accuracy similar to joint space width (JSW) assessments. In a study performed on 87 healthy subjects using OAI database, correlation between quantitative 3D cartilage and meniscal measures with medial and lateral radiographic JSW was evaluated 46 . Results of their analyses showed a strong relationship between medial minimal JSW and cartilage thickness (in men) as well as cartilage thickness and meniscal measures (in women).…”