Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze sex differences in knee car
tilage volume.
Methods: Articulate cartilage volumes were determined by processing images
acquired in the sagittal plane using T1-weighted fat saturation magnetic re
sonance on an independent work station. The knees of 28 subjects (17 male,
11 female) who underwent MRI for clinical indications (pain <3 months) but
who had a normal X-ray and structurally normal MRI were examined.
Results: Males had significantly larger cartilage volumes than females, wit
h difference in cartilage volume remaining statistically significant after
adjusting for age, height, weight and bone volume. The differences for male
s relative to females were: femoral cartilage volume [4.1 mi 95% CI (2.0, 6
.1)]; and patella cartilage volume [1.4 mi (0.2, 2.7)]. Although not statis
tically significant, the tibial cartilage volume also showed these sex diff
erences. Exploratory analysis indicated an increasing gender difference wit
h increasing age for patellar cartilage volume.
Conclusion: Men have significantly larger knee cartilage volume than women,
independent of body and bone size. The mechanisms for this will need to be
determined.