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Imaging of knee osteoarthritis: A review of current evidence and clinical guidelines
Author(s) -
Lee Lok Sze,
Chan Ping Keung,
Fung Wing Chiu,
Chan Vincent Wai Kwan,
Yan Chun Hoi,
Chiu Kwong Yuen
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
musculoskeletal care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.628
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1557-0681
pISSN - 1478-2189
DOI - 10.1002/msc.1536
Subject(s) - medicine , modalities , magnetic resonance imaging , narrative review , osteoarthritis , radiography , radiology , medical physics , medical imaging , modality (human–computer interaction) , presentation (obstetrics) , intensive care medicine , pathology , alternative medicine , computer science , artificial intelligence , sociology , social science
Background Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common and debilitating degenerative joint diseases worldwide. While radiography is the most commonly used imaging modality, it is associated with drawbacks which newer modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound could overcome. Nevertheless, the role of imaging in clinical practice and research in knee OA has not been clearly defined. Furthermore, guidelines on imaging in knee OA from different authoritative bodies have not been compared in previous studies. Therefore, the present review aims to summarise existing evidence and compare guidelines on the use of different imaging modalities in evaluating knee OA. Methods This is a narrative review based on a search of published clinical guidelines and the PubMed database for articles published between 1 January 1990 and 31 May 2020. Results There is no broad consensus on the value of imaging in patients with typical OA presentation. If imaging is required, current evidence and clinical guidelines support the use of radiography and MRI as first‐ and second‐line diagnostic modalities respectively. Since radiographic OA features have limited sensitivity and do not manifest in early stages, MRI is the preferred option for whole‐joint evaluation in OA research. Discrepancies exist regarding the use of alternative imaging modalities including ultrasound, computed tomography and nuclear medicine. Conclusion Radiography and MRI are the imaging modalities of choice. Other modalities have their respective advantages, and more research is warranted for the standardisation of image acquisition and interpretation methodology, in order to evaluate their validity, reliability and responsiveness in OA research.