Contribution of arthroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging to the evaluation of painful knee osteoarthritis

In knee osteoarthritis, arthroscopy provides valuable information that sugg ests an original approach to the disease. In combination with recent imagin g study data, this information can be used to develop a novel concept of th e evaluation of knee osteoarthritis. The main mechanisms responsible for fl ares of the disease seem to be synovitis, degenerative meniscal disease, an d subchondral bone lesions. Treatments targeted at each of these mechanisms can be used as appropriate. Determination of the exact nature of the lesio ns can be difficult and relies at present on sophisticated investigations n ot readily available in everyday practice. Further work is needed to determ ine how a finer analysis of symptoms and signs in combination with simple i nvestigations can differentiate between the various pathological patterns o f knee osteoarthritis. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevie r SAS.