Clarifying the Significance of Radiographic Examination in Osteoarthritis of the Knee Using MRI 3D Analysis

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K09271
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56020:Orthopedics-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Sekiya Ichiro 東京医科歯科大学, 統合研究機構, 教授 (10345291)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 変形性膝関節症 / 膝 / 骨棘 / レントゲン / 半月板 / 半月板逸脱 / 軟骨 / MRI3次元解析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to clarify the significance of radiographic examinations in knee osteoarthritis (OA) using data from a community population cohort study and our originally developed MRI 3D analysis. First, we compared the correlation between the difference in medial joint space width (JSW) in extension and flexion positions on standing anteroposterior knee radiographs with either cartilage thickness or medial meniscus extrusion (MME) width from MRI data. We found that the medial joint space width difference was more strongly influenced by MME than by cartilage thickness. Next, we investigated the significance of osteophyte width and joint space width in extension position. We showed that osteophyte width strongly reflects MME, while JSW reflects cartilage thickness. Furthermore, we analyzed cartilage thickness in OA and revealed that cartilage thickness is already decreased in specific subregions at Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade 1, and progresses further at KL grade 2.

Free Research Field

整形外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

膝レントゲン検査の意義が明らかになれば、一般的で低コストの画像検査のみで病態の理
解が進み、治療方針を決定するまでの期間が短縮され、患者の裨益する点が大きい。また、MRI検査の実施件数を減らすことが可能となり、医療費削減につながる。さらに、KL分類と関節軟骨摩耗が生じている部位や半月板逸脱の関係を解明することによって、レントゲンの影から実体を推測することが可能となる。