rss
Ann Rheum Dis 2005;64:556-563 doi:10.1136/ard.2004.023796
  • Extended report

Meniscal tear and extrusion are strongly associated with progression of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis as assessed by quantitative magnetic resonance imaging

  1. M-J Berthiaume1,*,
  2. J-P Raynauld2,*,
  3. J Martel-Pelletier2,
  4. F Labonté3,
  5. G Beaudoin1,
  6. D A Bloch4,
  7. D Choquette5,
  8. B Haraoui5,
  9. R D Altman6,
  10. M Hochberg7,
  11. J M Meyer8,
  12. G A Cline8,
  13. J-P Pelletier2
  1. 1Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM), Department of Radiology, Notre-Dame Hospital, University of Montreal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
  2. 2Osteoarthritis Research Unit, CHUM, Department of Medicine, Notre-Dame Hospital, University of Montreal
  3. 3ArthroVision, Montréal
  4. 4School of Medicine, Department of Health Research and Policy, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
  5. 5CHUM, Department of Medicine, Notre-Dame Hospital, University of Montreal
  6. 6UCLA Los Angeles, California, USA
  7. 7University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
  8. 8Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, Mason, Ohio, USA
  1. Correspondence to:
    Dr Jean-Pierre Raynauld
    Osteoarthritis Research Unit, 1560 Sherbrooke St East, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2L 4MI; jp.raynauldvideotron.ca
  • Accepted 12 August 2004
  • Published Online First 16 September 2004

Abstract

Background: The relation between knee meniscal structural damage and cartilage degradation is plausible but not yet clearly proven.

Objectives: To quantitate the cartilage volume changes in knee osteoarthritis using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and determine whether meniscal alteration predicts cartilage volume loss over time.

Methods: 32 patients meeting ACR criteria for symptomatic knee osteoarthritis were studied. MRI knee acquisitions were done every six months for two years. The cartilage volumes of different knee regions were measured. Three indices of structural change in the medial and lateral menisci were evaluated—degeneration, tear, and extrusion—using a semiquantitative scale.

Results: 24 patients (75%) had mild to moderate or severe meniscal damage (tear or extrusion) at baseline. A highly significant difference in global cartilage volume loss was observed between severe medial meniscal tear and absence of tear (mean (SD), −10.1 (2.1)% v −5.1 (2.4)%, p = 0.002). An even greater difference was found between the medial meniscal changes and medial compartment cartilage volume loss (−14.3 (3.0)% in the presence of severe tear v −6.3 (2.7)% in the absence of tear; p<0.0001). Similarly, a major difference was found between the presence of a medial meniscal extrusion and loss of medial compartment cartilage volume (−15.4 (4.1)% in the presence of extrusion v −4.5 (1.7)% with no extrusion; p<0.001).

Conclusions: Meniscal tear and extrusion appear to be associated with progression of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.

Footnotes

  • ↵* The first two authors contributed equally to this work

This Article

  1. Abstract
  2. Full text
  3. PDF
  4. All versions of this article:
    1. ard.2004.023796v1
    2. 64/4/556 most recent

Responses

  1. Submit a response
  2. No responses published

Register for free content

The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.