CORRELATION BETWEEN RADIOGRAPHICALLY DIAGNOSED OSTEOPHYTES AND MAGNETIC-RESONANCE DETECTED CARTILAGE DEFECTS IN THE TIBIOFEMORAL JOINT

Objective-To assess the correlation between the presence of radiograph ically diagnosed osteophytes in the tibiofemoral joint (TFJ) and (1) m agnetic resonance (MR) detected cartilage defects and meniscal lesions in the same joint and (2) knee pain. Methods-Fifty nine people, 29 me n and 30 women, with chronic knee pain (aged 41-58 years, mean 50 year s) were examined with posteroanterior weightbearing radiograms in semi flexion of both TFJ. The presence and grade of marginal and central os teophytes were assessed. On the same day, an MR examination was perfor med of the signal knee with proton density and T2 weighted turbo spin- echo sequences on a 1.0 T imager. Cartilage defects and meniscal abnor malities in the TFJ were noted. The subjects were questioned for curre nt knee pain for each knee. Results-Marginal osteophytes had a sensiti vity of 77%, specificity of 83%, and positive predictive value of 87% for MR detected cartilage defects in the TFJ and a sensitivity of 71%, specificity of 68%, and positive predictive value of 71% for meniscal abnormalities. A correlation (p<0.05) between osteophytes at the medi al tibial condyle and knee pain was found. Conclusions-With the presen ce of marginal osteophytes in the TFJ there is a high prevalence of MR detected cartilage defects in the same joint whether joint space narr owing (<3 mm) is present or not.