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Objective: To investigate the construct validity of the new thumb base OA magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scoring system (TOMS) by comparing TOMS scores with radiographic scores in patients with primary hand OA., Design: In 200 patients (83.5% women, mean (SD) age 61.0 (8.4) years), postero-anterior radiographs and MR scans (1.5 T) of the right first carpometacarpal (CMC-1) and scaphotrapeziotrapezoid (STT) joints, were scored using the OARSI atlas and TOMS, respectively. The distributions of the TOMS scores (specified in results section) were stratified for the OARSI scores of corresponding radiographic features and investigated using boxplots and non-parametric tests. Furthermore, Spearman's rank or Phi correlation coefficients (ρ/φ) were calculated., Results: For all features, especially for erosions and osteophytes, the prevalence found with MRI was higher than with radiography. TOMS osteophyte and cartilage loss scores differed statistically significant between corresponding OARSI scores in CMC-1 (0 vs 1; 1 vs 2). TOMS scores were positively correlated with radiographic scores in CMC-1 for osteophytes (coefficient [95% confidence interval], ρ = 0.75 [0.69; 0.81]), cartilage loss/joint space narrowing (ρ = 0.70 [0.62; 0.76]), subchondral bone defects (SBDs)/erosion-cyst (ρ = 0.41 [0.29; 0.52]), bone marrow lesions (BMLs)/subchondral sclerosis (ρ = 0.65 [0.56; 0.73]) and subluxation (φ = 0.65 [0.57; 0.73]); and in STT for osteophytes (ρ = 0.30 [0.17; 0.42]) and cartilage loss/joint space narrowing (ρ = 0.53 [0.42; 0.62])., Conclusions: In patients with hand OA, TOMS scores positively correlated with radiographic scores, indicating good construct validity. However, the prevalence of features on MR images was higher compared to radiographs, suggesting that TOMS might be more sensitive than radiography. The clinical meaning of these extra MR detected cases is currently still unknown., (Copyright © 2018 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Osteoarthritis in thumb base joints (first carpometacarpal (CMC-1), scaphotrapeziotrapezoid (STT)) is prevalent and disabling, yet focussed studies are scarce. Our aim was to investigate associations between ultrasonographic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) inflammatory features, radiographic osteophytes, and thumb base pain in hand osteoarthritis patients., Design: Cross-sectional analyses were performed in cohorts with MRI (n = 202) and ultrasound measurements (n = 87). Pain upon thumb base palpation was assessed. Radiographs were scored for CMC-1/STT osteophytes. Synovial thickening, effusion and power Doppler signal in CMC-1 joints were assessed with ultrasound. MRIs were scored for synovitis and bone marrow lesions (BMLs) in CMC-1 and STT joints using OMERACT-TOMS. Associations between ultrasound/MRI features, osteophytes, and thumb base pain were assessed. Interaction between MRI features and osteophytes was explored., Results: In 289 patients (mean age 60.2, 83% women) 139/376 thumb bases were painful. Osteophyte presence was associated with pain (MRI cohort: odds ratio (OR) 5.1 (2.7-9.8)). Ultrasound features were present in 25-33% of CMC-1 joints, though no associations were seen with pain. MRI-synovitis and BMLs grade ≥2 were scored in 25% and 43% of thumb bases, and positively associated with pain (OR 3.6 (95% CI 1.7-7.6) and 3.0 (1.6-5.5)). Associations attenuated after adjustment for osteophyte presence. Combined presence of osteophytes and MRI-synovitis had an additive effect., Conclusions: Ultrasonographic and MRI inflammatory features were often present in the thumb base. Osteophytes were more strongly associated with thumb base pain than inflammatory features, in contrast to findings in finger OA studies, supporting thumb base osteoarthritis as a distinct phenotype., (Copyright © 2018 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Subchondral bone abnormalities (SBAs) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are observed frequently and associated with disease course in various musculoskeletal disorders. This review aims to map the existing knowledge of their underlying histological features, and to identify needs for future research., Design: We conducted a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines until September 2017, including all studies correlating histological features to on MRI defined SBAs in patients with osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthritis (SpA) and degenerative disc disease (DDD). Two authors independently retrieved articles and assessed study quality., Results: A total of 21 studies (466 patients) correlated histological features to SBAs in OA (n = 13), RA (n = 3), ankylosing spondylitis (AS) (n = 1) and DDD (n = 4). Reported changes in OA were substitution of normal subchondral bone with fibrosis and necrosis, and increased bone remodeling. In contrast, in RA, AS or DDD fibrosis was not reported and SBAs correlated to an increase in inflammatory cell number. In DDD necrosis was observed. Similar to OA, increased bone remodeling was shown in RA and DDD. The risk of bias assessment showed a lack in described patient criteria, blinding and/or adequate topographic correlation in approximately half of studies. There was heterogeneity regarding the investigated histological features between the different disorders., Conclusions: Current studies suggest that SBAs correlate to various histological features, including fibrosis, cell death, inflammation and bone remodeling. In the majority of studies most quality criteria were not met. Future studies should aim for high quality research, and consistency in investigated features between different disorders., (Copyright © 2018 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine the association between bone marrow lesions (BMLs) and (teno)synovitis as assessed on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in patients with pain in hand osteoarthritis (OA)., Methods: In 105 consecutive primary hand OA patients (83% women, mean age 59 years), who were diagnosed by rheumatologists and included in the HOSTAS (Hand OSTeoArthritis in Secondary care) cohort, contrast enhanced MR imaging of right distal and proximal interphalangeal joints were obtained. In 92 patients joint site specific pain upon palpation was assessed within 3 weeks of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination. MR features were scored (0-3) following the Oslo hand OA score: BMLs, synovitis, cysts, flexor tenosynovitis (FTS). Additionally, extensor tendon inflammation (ETI) (0-3) was scored. Odds ratios (OR, 95% confidence interval (CI)) were calculated using generalized estimating equations for MR features with joint pain, adjusted for putative confounders. Stratified analyses were performed to investigate interaction., Results: BMLs, synovitis, cysts, FTS and ETI were demonstrated in 56%, 90%, 22%, 16% and 30% of patients, respectively. BMLs (grade 2/3 vs 0: 3.5 (1.6-7.7)) and synovitis (3 vs 0: OR 3.6 (95% CI 1.9-6.6)) were severity-dependent associated with joint pain, but FTS and ETI were not. Stratified analyses showed that BMLs did not associate with pain in the absence of synovitis, whereas synovitis was associated with pain in the absence of BMLs. Interaction was seen between BMLs and synovitis grade 2 or 3., Conclusion: In hand OA patients severe synovitis is associated with joint pain, which is worsened when BMLs co-occur, suggesting synovitis as primary target of treatment., (Copyright © 2017 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the course of synovitis on contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance images (CE-MRI) in osteoarthritic knees over 2 years, and its association with pain and cartilage deterioration., Design: Consecutive patients (n = 39, mean age 61 years, 79% woman, median (range) body mass index (BMI) 29 (24-48) kg/mm 2 ) with clinical osteoarthritis (OA) were included. Baseline and follow-up CE-MRI (3 T) were scored paired in chronological order for synovitis (semi-quantitatively at 11 sites (range 0-22)), cartilage deterioration and bone marrow lesions (BMLs) (semi-quantitatively according to Knee Osteoarthritis Scoring System (KOSS)). Changes in sum scores were calculated. Cartilage deterioration was defined as change of ≥2 above the smallest detectable change (SDC). Pain was assessed by standardized questionnaires. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and linear regression models were used to investigate association between synovitis change and cartilage deterioration and between synovitis change or cartilage deterioration and change in pain., Results: The total synovitis score did not change over 2 years (mean change 0.2 (standard deviation (SD) 3.2)), although changes in individual patients were observed. Cartilage deterioration was observed in 51% of patients. Synovitis change score was lower in patients without compared to patients with cartilage deterioration, taking BML change in account (mean difference -2.1 (-4.1 to -0.1)). Change in synovitis was not associated with change in pain, whereas cartilage deterioration was associated with change in Intermittent and Constant OsteoArthritis Pain (ICOAP) constant pain in adjusted models (unstandardised coefficient (B) (95% confidence interval (CI)) 2.8 (0.4-5.3))., Conclusions: In individual patients synovitis fluctuates during disease course. Synovitis change was not associated with change in pain. Increase in synovitis is associated with cartilage deterioration, suggesting a role for synovitis as a target for disease-modifying treatment., (Copyright © 2016 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the presence of mast cells in the osteoarthritic (OA) synovium and their association with clinical parameters in comparison with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) samples., Method: Synovial tissues of 56 symptomatic OA and 49 RA patients were obtained. Two to three paraffin slides were used to quantify inflammation using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining (synovitis score 0-9), and numbers of mast cells (per 10 high-power fields) using double immunofluorescence for CD117 and tryptase. Average scores per patient were used for analysis. Knee radiographs of OA patients were scored according to the Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) system and pain was determined in OA patients at baseline by visual analogue scale (VAS)., Results: Median (range) of mast cells was significantly higher in OA samples 45 (1-168) compared to RA samples 4 (1-47) (P-value < 0.001), despite a lower median (range) synovitis score in OA (2.5 (0-6.0)) compared to 4.6 (0-8.0) in RA samples. The synovitis score was significantly correlated with the number of mast cells (in OA Spearman's rho (P-value) 0.3 (0.023) and RA 0.5 (P-value < 0.001)). Interestingly, we observed a trend towards an association between the number of mast cells and an increased KL-grade (P-value 0.05) in OA patients, independently of synovitis. No associations were found with self-reported pain., Conclusion: Prevalence of mast cells in OA synovial tissue is relatively high and associates with structural damage in OA patients, suggesting a role of mast cells in this disease., (Copyright © 2015 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate patterns of MRI abnormalities in the patellofemoral (PFJ) and tibiofemoral joint (TFJ) and their association with radiographic progression, using hypothesis free analyses., Design: 205 patients from the GARP study with symptomatic OA at multiple sites (mean age 60 years, 80% woman, median BMI 26 kg/m(2)), underwent knee MRI at baseline. Cartilage damage, osteophytes, cysts, bone marrow lesions (BMLs) and effusion/synovitis were scored according to a validated scoring method. Baseline and 6-year TFJ and PFJ radiographs were scored (0-3) for JSN and osteophytes according to OARSI and Burnett atlases, respectively; progression was defined as ≥1 point increase. Baseline patterns of MRI abnormalities derived from principal component analysis (PCA) were associated with progression using adjusted generalized estimating equations (GEE)., Results: PCA resulted in extraction of six components, explaining 69% of variance. In 29% and 29% of 133 patients with follow-up the TFJ progressed, whereas in 15% and 9% the PFJ progressed for osteophytes and JSN, respectively. Component 1 (cartilage damage of the PFJ and osteophytes of both joints) was statistically significant associated with TFJ JSN progression and PFJ osteophyte progression. Component 2 (all lateral PFJ abnormalities except osteophytes) was associated with JSN/osteophyte progression in the PFJ alone, whereas component 3 (all medial TFJ abnormalities except osteophytes) was associated with JSN and osteophyte progression in both PFJ and TFJ., Conclusion: Baseline structural damage and bone turnover activity, as reflected by BMLs, seem to be involved in knee OA progression. Moreover, progression in PFJ and TFJ seems to be related., (Copyright © 2015 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the association between synovitis on contrast enhanced (CE) MRI with microscopic and macroscopic features of synovial tissue inflammation., Method: Forty-one patients (mean age 60 years, 61% women) with symptomatic radiographic knee OA were studied: twenty underwent arthroscopy (macroscopic features were scored (0-4), synovial biopsies obtained), twenty-one underwent arthroplasty (synovial tissues were collected). After haematoxylin and eosin staining, the lining cell layer, synovial stroma and inflammatory infiltrate of synovial tissues were scored (0-3). T1-weighted CE-MRI's (3 T) were used to semi-quantitatively score synovitis at 11 sites (0-22) according to Guermazi et al. Spearman's rank correlations were calculated., Results: The mean (SD) MRI synovitis score was 8.0 (3.7) and the total histology grade was 2.5 (1.6). Median (range) scores of macroscopic features were 2 (1-3) for neovascularization, 1 (0-3) for hyperplasia, 2 (0-4) for villi and 2 (0-3) for fibrin deposits. The MRI synovitis score was significantly correlated with total histology grade [r = 0.6], as well as with lining cell layer [r = 0.4], stroma [r = 0.3] and inflammatory infiltrate [r = 0.5] grades. Moreover, MRI synovitis score was also significantly correlated with macroscopic neovascularization [r = 0.6], hyperplasia [r = 0.6] and villi [r = 0.6], but not with fibrin [r = 0.3]., Conclusion: Synovitis severity on CE-MRI assessed by a new whole knee scoring system by Guermazi et al. is a valid, non-invasive method to determine synovitis as it is significantly correlated with both macroscopic and microscopic features of synovitis in knee OA patients., (Copyright © 2013 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate if the amount of fat mass (FM) or skeletal muscle mass (SMM) is more strongly associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA), in both men and women., Methods: The Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity (NEO) study is a population-based cohort aged 45-65 years, including 5313 participants (53% female, median body mass index (BMI) 29.9 kg/m(2)). FM (kg), fat percentage, SMM (kg) and skeletal muscle (SM) percentage were estimated using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Clinical OA was defined following the ACR criteria. Structural OA was defined based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 1142 participants. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations of all body composition measures with clinical and structural knee OA per standard deviation (SD), stratified by sex and adjusted for age and height., Results: Clinical or structural OA was present in 25% and 14% of women and 12% and 13% of men, respectively. FM and fat percentage were positively associated with clinical knee OA in men and women. SMM was positively associated, while the SM percentage was negatively associated with clinical OA in both men and women. The FM/SMM ratio was positively associated with clinical OA. All determinants showed even stronger ORs for structural knee OA. In men, SMM was more strongly associated with knee OA as compared to FM whereas in women, FM was most strongly associated., Conclusion: Especially a high FM/SMM ratio seems to be unfavorable in knee OA. In men, SMM is most strongly associated with knee OA whereas in women FM seems to be of most importance., (Copyright © 2013 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)