Diagnostik von Knorpelschäden des Kniegelenks

• DOI: 10.1007/s00113-006-1225-z
• Publication Date: 2007-02-23T15:46:47Z
• Authors: G. Spahn; R. Wittig; E. Kahl; H.M. Klinger; T. Mückley; G.O. Hofmann
• Keywords: Chondropathy

The study was aimed to evaluate the validity of clinical, radiological and MRI examination for cartilage defects of the knee compared with arthroscopic finding.Seven-hundred seventy-two patients who were suffering from knee pain over more than 3 months were evaluated clinical (grinding-sign) and with radiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and subsequent arthroscopy.The grinding sign had a sensitivity of 0.39. The association of a positive grinding test with high grade cartilage defects was significant (p<0.000). In 97.4% an intact chondral surface correlated with a normal radiological finding. Subchondral sclerosis, exophytes and a joint space narrowing was significantly associated with high grade cartilage defects (p<0.000). The accuracy of MRI was 59.5%. The MRI resulted in an overestimation in 36.6% and an underestimation in 3.9%. False-positive results were significant more often assessed in low-grade cartilage defects (p<0.000).Clinical signs, x-ray imaging and MRI correlate with arthroscopic findings in cases of deep cartilage lesions. In intact or low-grade degenerated cartilage often results an overestimating of these findings.