The Evaluation of the Knee Joint in Terms of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Measurements in Osteoarthritis Patients: A Comparative Study Comprising a Control Group

Bozkurt Gulek, Gokhan Soker, Ertugrul Erken, Yakup Yesilkaya, Behice Durgun, Nazan Alpaslan, Eda Söker, Omer Kaya, Eren Erken

Department of Anatomy, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey.
Department of Biostatistics, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey.
Department of Nephrology, Gaziosmanpasa University, Tokat, Turkey.
Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitaiton, Numune Teaching and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
Department of Radiology, Kirsehir State Hospital, Kirsehir, Turkey.
Department of Radiology, Namik Kemal University, Tekirdag, Turkey.
Department of Radiology, Numune Teaching and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey.

DOI: 10.4236/ojrad.2014.41014                

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the knee joints of osteoarthritis patients in terms of clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements and draw definitive conclusions from these quantimetric data. In order to achieve the above-mentioned goal, the knees of individuals from two distinct groups were examined by MRI. One group consisted of osteoarthritis patients while the other comprised the control individuals. All individuals from both groups underwent clinical and MRI measurements concerning their knees. These data were compared by using the statistical software from the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) v.15 program. Statistically significant differences were found between the control and patients groups in terms of the measurements of the second (short) diameter of the medial femoral condyle, and the intercondylar distance (p < 0.05). In addition to these findings, the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve analysis gave statistically significant results for both of these measurements. The cutoff values for these criteria were as follows in sequence order: a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 52% for the medial femoral condyle, and a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 70% for the intercondylar distance. The ROC curve data may not be a deterministic outcome alone for this study. But it may in fact have a significant meaning when it is evaluated together with other statistically significant data. The t-test for Equality of Means, for example, gave significant results, concerning the measurements of the short axis of the medial femoral condyle and the intercondylar distance. It is well known that it is the medial portion of the knee joint which deteriorates the most during the process of osteoarthritis of the knee (OAK), and this complies with the results of this study.

Keywords

Osteoarthritis; Knee; MRI

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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