Interindividual variability and correlation among morphological parametersof knee joint cartilage plates: analysis with three-dimensional MR imaging

Objective: To determine the range and variability of the cartilage volume, thickness, and articular surface areas in the knee joints of healthy male s ubjects, the association of these parameters within and between the knee jo int cartilage plates, and their correlation with anthropometric variables. Method: The right knees of 27 individuals (age 23 to 64 years) without cart ilage damage were examined. Sagittal magnetic resonance imaging was with a fat-suppressed gradient echo sequence (resolution 2x0.31x0.31 mm(3)), quant itative parameters being computed for all cartilage plates. Results: The total knee joint cartilage volume ranged from 16.6 to 31.4 mi, the size of the articular surfaces from 102 to 163 cm(2), and the mean car tilage thickness from 1.57 to 2.43 mm. The mean and maximal cartilage thick ness were highest in the patella (2.76 and 5.72 mm). There was a significan t correlation of the cartilage volume with the mean thickness (R=0.80) and with the joint surface areas (R=0.56), but not between the thickness and su rface area (R=0.37). The association among the patella, tibia, and femur wa s 0.16 to 0.72 for volumes, 0.08 to 0.78 for thickness, and 0.24 to 0.62 fo r surfaces. The knee joint cartilage volume and the surface areas were sign ificantly associated with the body height (R=0.51 and 0.57), but not the ca rtilage thickness (R=0.22). Conclusion: There is a surprisingly high variability of the quantitative di stribution of cartilage within the knee joint, with only moderate correlaio ns between knee joint cartilage plates, and this variability cannot be adeq uately predicted based on anthropometric variables. (C) 2001 OsteoArthritis Research Society International.