ArticleJournal of experimental orthopaedics2022
Radiographic vs. MRI vs. arthroscopic assessment and grading of knee osteoarthritis - are we using appropriate imaging?
Article in Journal of experimental orthopaedics, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Chromatic differential confocal matrix-based 3D topography and hyperspectral imaging with deep learning for osteoarthritis grading.Biomedical optics express · 2026Article
- Magnetic resonance imaging provides additional utility in the preoperative cartilage assessment of patients undergoing medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA · 2025Article
- More than Just Type 1 or Type 2: Radiologically and Anatomically Refined Lunate Classification Correlating Ulnar Carpal Alignment and Hamate-Lunate Osteoarthrosis.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2025Article
- The Expression Level of SOX Family Transcription Factors' mRNA as a Diagnostic Marker for Osteoarthritis.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Innate immune pathway activated mesenchymal stromal cells improve function and histologic outcomes in a rodent osteoarthritis model.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2025Article
- Deep learning in gonarthrosis classification: a comparative study of model architectures and single vs. multi-model methods.Frontiers in artificial intelligence · 2025Article
- Spatiotemperal Dynamics of Osteoarthritis: Bridging Insights from Bench to Bedside.Aging and disease · 2024Review
- Does MRI alter management in patients 60 years and older with chronic knee pain: correlation with radiographs and clinical parameters.Skeletal radiology · 2024Article
- Survival analysis on subchondral bone length for total knee replacement.Skeletal radiology · 2024Article
- The Role of Cone-Beam Computed Tomography CT Extremity Arthrography in the Preoperative Assessment of Osteoarthritis.Tomography (Ann Arbor, Mich.) · 2023Article
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Year Prior to Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Potential Overutilization of Healthcare Resources.Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviews · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeRadiographs and MRI scans are commonly used imaging techniques in the assessment of knee osteoarthritis. However, it currently remains uncertain how good a representation of the actual condition of the knee joint these investigations provide. By comparing them against arthroscopic findings the aim of our study was to conclude how accurate these imaging techniques are at grading knee osteoarthritis.
methodsThis was a retrospective study looking at knee arthroscopies performed at a tertiary centre over a 5 year period. The Outerbridge grade given at arthroscopy was correlated with pre-operative radiograph and MRI scores, so as to assess the reliability of these imaging techniques at predicting the actual severity of knee osteoarthritis seen.
resultsKellgren-Lawrence (KL) grading of radiographs was moderately correlated with Outerbridge grades from arthroscopy for the medial compartment of the knee (Spearman's rho (SR) 0.483, p < 0.001), with a milder correlation in the lateral compartment (SR 0.218, p = 0.003). MRI reporting of knee osteoarthritis was moderately correlated with Outerbridge grades in the medial compartment (SR 0.451, p < 0.001), mildly correlated for both the lateral (SR 0.299, p < 0.001) and patellofemoral joint compartments (SR 0.142, p = 0.054). KL and MRI grading was moderately correlated for the medial compartment (SR 0.475, p < 0.001) and mildly correlated for the lateral compartment (SR 0.277, p < 0.001).
conclusionThe ability of radiographs to represent the actual condition of knee osteoarthritis is underestimated. KL grading especially best represents the disease seen in the medial compartment of the knee joint, with a moderate correlation to Outerbridge scores given on arthroscopic assessment. We suggest that whilst MRI is a useful tool in the investigation of knee symptoms, it is often unnecessarily used in patients with OA, when in fact, radiographs alone would be sufficient. EVIDENCE LEVEL: III.
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