الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract Osteoarthritis (OA) is a low-grade inflammatory disease of Synovial joints and the most common form of arthritis. It is a leading cause of chronic pain and physical disability in older individuals. Osteoarthritis is one of the most costly and disabling forms of joint disease, being far more common than rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other forms of joint disease. It is characterized by progressive deterioration and loss of articular cartilage with concomitant structural and functional changes in the entire joint, including the synovium, meniscus and subchondral bone. Knee OA is characterized by loss of articular cartilage, osteophyte, and intermittent inflammation of the joint tissues, and is one of the most frequent causes of pain and disability in the elderly. Recognized risk factor for knee OA are: age, female gender, obesity, genetic factor and knee injury. The mechanism of these risk factor lead to cartilage degeneration. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a well-established and widely utilized noninvasive tool for the evaluation of internal derangement of the knee. Because it offers excellent soft tissue contrast and multiplanar capabilities, MRI enables physicians to radiologically examine muscle, ligament, tendon, cartilage, and bone in a highly detailed manner. Three-dimensional gradient recalled echo (WATS or FLASH or SPGR) imaging is considered the standard technique for morphologic evaluations of knee cartilage because it offers higher sensitivity than 2D techniques and provides excellent depiction of cartilaginous defects. |