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ObjectiveTo compare progression over 8 years in knee compositional cartilage degeneration and structural joint abnormalities in knees with different types of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) abnormalities over 8 years.MethodBaseline MR images of the right knees of 1899 individuals of the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) with no evidence of or mild to moderate radiographic osteoarthritis were assessed for nontraumatic ACL abnormalities. The knees of 91 individuals showed nontraumatic ACL abnormalities (age 60.6 ± 9.8 y, 46 females; mucoid degeneration (MD), N = 37; complete tear (CT), N = 22; partial tear (PT), N = 32) and were frequency-matched to 91 individuals with normal ACL. MRIs were assessed for knee joint abnormalities using the Whole-Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score (WORMS) and cartilage T2 mapping at baseline, 4- and 8-year follow-up.ResultsOver 8 years, cartilage T2 values of the medial tibia showed a significantly greater increase in individuals with MD, PT or CT compared to those with normal ACL (adjusted rate of change/year [95% confidence interval], normal ACL: 0.06 [0.01, 0.23], MD: 0.34 [0.07, 0.73], PT, 0.21 [0.02, 0.33], CT, 0.51 [0.16, 0.78]), indicating an association of ACL abnormalities and an increased progression rate of cartilage degeneration in subjects with and without knee joint degeneration. This effect was also seen in cartilage T2 values averaged over all compartments (normal ACL: 0.08 [0.05, 0.20] vs abnormal ACL: 0.27 [0.06, 0.56]).ConclusionsOver 8 years, higher progression rates of cartilage degeneration, especially in the medial tibia, were associated with ACL abnormalities compared to those with normal ACL, in subjects with and without knee joint abnormalities.

PurposeTo investigate change in knee cartilage composition over 96 months in overweight and obese participants with constant weight compared to those with weight loss (WL), and to assess how different WL regimens are associated with these changes.MethodsWe studied right knees of 760 participants (age 62.6 ± 9.0y; 465 females) with a baseline body mass index (BMI) >25 kg/m2 from the Osteoarthritis Initiative with mild to moderate or with risk factors for knee osteoarthritis. Participants losing weight (>5% of baseline BMI over 72 months; N = 380) were compared to controls with stable weight (SW, N = 380). Participants losing weight were categorized based on WL method (diet and exercise, diet only, exercise only) and compared to those with stable weight. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3T was performed at baseline, 48- and 96-months. The association of WL and WL method with change in cartilage composition, measured with T2 mapping, was analyzed using mixed random effects models.ResultsCompared to SW, WL was associated with a significantly slower increase in global (averaged over all compartments) cartilage T2 (adjusted mean difference of change in T2 ms/year [95% CI] between the groups: 0.24 [0.20, 0.41] ms/year; P

Purpose: (I) Characterize the demographics and clinical features of patients with meniscal root tears (MRT); (II) analyze the morphology, extent, and grade of MRT on MRI; (III) evaluate associated abnormalities on imaging; and (IV) evaluate the associations between imaging findings, demographics, clinical features, and joint structural abnormalities., Material and Methods: A search was performed to identify meniscal root tears. Age, sex, BMI, and pain were recorded. Knee radiographs and MRI were reviewed. Presence, grade and morphology of MRT, meniscal extrusion, insufficiency fractures, as well as joint structural abnormalities were scored. For goals (I), (II), and (III), tabulations for categorical variables and mean for continuous variables were computed. MRT findings variables were described using percentages. For goal (IV), adjusted linear and logistic regression were employed., Results: Ninety-six patients with a mean age of 56.6 years (69 females) and mean BMI of 28.9 kg/m 2 were included; 88 of the MRT were located at the posterior horn of the medial meniscus (PHMM), and 82% were radial tear. The mean tear diameter was 3.8 mm, and 78/96 tears presented with meniscal extrusion. Nineteen patients presented with subchondral insufficiency fracture (SIF), which was significantly associated with the gap of the tear (p = 0.001) and grade of the meniscal root lesion (p = 0.005)., Conclusion: MRT typically found in middle-aged to older overweight and obese women. Lesions were mostly radial tears and located at PHMM and were frequently associated with meniscal extrusion and SIF. Moreover, the presence of SIF was significantly associated with the gap width and grade of root tear., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International Skeletal Society (ISS).)

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are a group of inherited lysosomal storage diseases caused by a deficiency of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) catalytic enzymes, resulting in an accumulation of unprocessed or partly degraded GAGs in different tissues, including bones and joints. Notably, skeletal and joint abnormalities may be the first complaint that prompts patients to seek medical attention, especially in the milder forms of the disease. To our knowledge, there are no prior imaging reports that have documented capsuloligamentous thickening in patients with MPS on MRI. In this study, we present four cases of patients with clinically and genetically confirmed diagnosis of type II MPS, encompassing seven MRI examination of different joints, including cervical spine, hip, wrist, knee, and shoulder. All of the patients were male, aged between 14 and 35 years, and exhibited varying degrees of joint stiffness in the clinical examination and carpal tunnel syndrome in cases of the wrist joint was affected. None of the patients had a history of surgical procedures on the affected joint, other metabolic or deposit diseases, or sports activity practice. The MRI revealed significant capsuloligamentous and retinaculum thickening, up to eight times greater than the normal capsular thickness reported in the literature., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International Skeletal Society (ISS).)

Background: Meniscal root tears can lead to early knee osteoarthritis and pain. This study aimed (1) to compare clinical and radiological outcomes between patients who underwent arthroscopic meniscal root repair after meniscal root tears and those who received non-surgical treatment, and (2) to identify whether baseline MRI findings could be potential predictors for future treatment strategies., Methods: Patients with meniscal root tears were identified from our picture archiving and communication system from 2016 to 2020. Two radiologists reviewed radiographs and MRI studies using Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grading and a modified Whole Organ MRI Scoring (WORMS) at baseline and follow-up. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) of follow-up radiographs and MRI studies were 134 (44-443) days and 502 (260-1176) days, respectively. MR images were assessed for root tear-related findings. Pain scores using visual analogue scale (VAS) and management strategies (non-surgical vs. arthroscopic root repair) were also collected. Chi-squared tests and independent t-tests were used to assess differences regarding clinical and imaging variables between treatment groups. Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the associations between baseline MRI findings and each future treatment., Results: Ninety patients were included. VAS pain scores were significantly (p < 0.01) lower after arthroscopic repair compared to conservative treatment (1.27±0.38vs.4±0.52) at the last follow-up visit with median (IQR) of 325 (180-1391) days. Increased meniscal extrusion (mm) was associated with higher odds of receiving non-surgical treatment (OR = 1.65, 95%CI 1.02-2.69, p = 0.04). The odds of having arthroscopic repair increased by 19% for every 1 mm increase in the distance of the tear from the root attachment (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.05-1.36, p < 0.01). The odds of undergoing arthroscopic repair were reduced by 49% for every 1 mm increase in the extent of meniscal extrusion (OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.29-0.91, p = 0.02) as observed in the baseline MRI., Conclusions: Patients who underwent arthroscopic repair had lower pain scores than patients with conservative treatment in the follow-up. Distance of the torn meniscus to the root attachment and the extent of meniscal extrusion were significant predictors for arthroscopic repair in the next three weeks (time from the baseline MRI to the surgery date)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic yield and accuracy of both image-guided core-needle biopsy (CNB) and fine-needle biopsy and evaluate the benefit of performing fine-needle biopsy in addition to CNB in patients with suspected benign and malignant bone tumors., Materials and Methods: A systematic search was performed on March 10, 2021, to determine whether fine-needle aspiration (FNA) plays any role when performed alone or in combination with CNB. The included studies were aggregated for the pooled estimates of diagnostic yield and histologic accuracy of image-guided percutaneous needle biopsy of bone tumors. Twenty-nine studies published between 1996 and 2021 were included., Results: When all patients with bone tumors were included, the rates of diagnostic yield and accuracy of FNA and CNB were 88.5% and 82.5% and 91.4% and 92.7%, respectively; the rates of both the methods combined were 96.5% and 94.1%, respectively; and for the lytic subgroup, the rates of diagnostic yield and accuracy of CNB and both the methods combined were 94.3% and 100% and 98.9% and 90.4%, respectively. A P value of <.05 was considered statistically significant., Conclusion: The present meta-analysis showed that core biopsy alone outperformed fine-needle biopsy alone in all categories of benign and malignant tumors. Additionally, the diagnostic yield was improved when FNA was used in addition to CNB for lytic bone lesions., (Copyright © 2022 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The objective of this study was to compare the accuracy of ultrasound (US) with that of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in identifying muscle abnormalities in patients with inclusion body myositis (IBM). Twelve patients with IBM underwent muscle US and MRI on the same day. Twelve muscle groups were analyzed per patient. On US, a visual grading system was used to detect whether the muscles were affected. On MRI, muscle atrophy, fat infiltration and edema patterns were analyzed. The inter- and intra-reader reproducibility was similar for US and MRI in the evaluation of muscle abnormalities. All patients with muscle abnormalities identified on US presented with fat infiltration on MRI, which was the most common abnormality identified on MRI. Most importantly, the accuracy of US compared with that of MRI for the detection of muscle abnormalities in patients with IBM was 86.8 (κ coefficient = 0.632), with a sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 100%. In conclusion all patients with muscle abnormalities identified on US presented with fat infiltration on MRI, and the marked increase in echo intensity observed in the muscles of IBM patients was related mostly to fatty replacement. Most importantly, US exhibited significant accuracy compared with MRI., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest disclosure The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: (i) To investigate the frequency and natural evolution of meniscal ramp lesions (MRLs) on MRI in subjects with acute ACL tear and (ii) to compare knee cartilage compositional degeneration between subjects with MRLs and subjects without meniscal pathology over 2 years., Materials and Methods: Fifty-seven subjects with ACL tears (32 females; age 32.6 ± 8.3 years; BMI 24.5 ± 3.5 kg/m 2 ) from a prospective study were screened for the presence of MRLs. Morphological (high-resolution 3D fast spin-echo) and compositional (T1ρ and T2 mapping) MRI was performed prior to and 2 years after ACL reconstruction. Follow-up MR images were assessed for changes in the signal intensity of the MRLs and the presence of meniscal tears. Differences of compositional parameters were compared between subjects with MRLs and without meniscal lesions using independent samples t tests., Results: MRLs were found in 16% (9/56) of the subjects with ACL tears at baseline. Only one subject with MRLs developed a posterior horn meniscal tear over 2 years. In 12 knees, no meniscal tears were found, which were defined as controls. Most interestingly, cartilage ∆T1ρ of the medial femur and medial tibia increased significantly more in subjects with MRLs compared with controls (mean difference, MF = 6.0 ± 0.8 vs. 2.3 ± 0.6, p = 0.004, and MT = 4.4 ± 1.4 vs. 0.4 ± 0.6, p = 0.027) and medial femur ∆T2 over 2 years increased significantly more in MRL than in control knees (5.1 ± 2.5 ms vs. 2.2 ± 1.9 ms, p = 0.012)., Conclusion: Subjects with ACL tear presented MRLs in 16% of cases. Compared with controls without meniscal lesions, knees with MRLs demonstrated accelerated degeneration of cartilage composition in the medial knee compartment over 2 years.

Objective: To investigate whether subjects with diabetes show accelerated knee joint structural degeneration over 4 years compared to diabetes-free controls., Materials and Methods: Two hundred forty-four participants with diabetes were selected from the Osteoarthritis Initiative cohort and matched with 244 diabetes-free controls. 3.0-T MRI scans of the right knee were obtained at baseline and 4-year follow-up. Evaluation of structural knee abnormalities was performed using the Whole-Organ Resonance Imaging Scoring system (WORMS). Linear regression analysis was conducted to compare structural temporal changes in each compartment, as well as the mean across all compartments by diabetes status., Results: Study groups were similar in age (63.0 vs. 63.3 years, p = 0.73), body mass index (31.5 vs. 31.0 kg/m 2 , p = 0.21), sex (female 52.0 vs. 52.9%, p = 0.85) and radiographic Kellgren/Lawrence score distribution (p = 0.99). Structural degeneration was significantly worse in the knees of diabetics with an increase in the overall WORMS sum score (delta WORMS [95% CI]: 4.87 [4.17, 5.57], vs. 3.23 [2.60, 3.85] p = 0.001). Moreover, diabetics showed a greater increase in cartilage lesions in the global knee (p < 0.001), but also separately in the patella, lateral tibia, and both femoral compartments (lowest p value; p = 0.001). Furthermore, diabetics showed also a greater increase in meniscus lesion score, in both the medial (p = 0.01) and lateral meniscus (p = 0.01)., Conclusions: Diabetics exhibited a significantly greater increase in cartilage and meniscus lesions when compared to diabetes-free controls over 4 years. Overall, our findings suggest that diabetics exhibit a stronger deterioration of knee structure and are therefore potentially at higher risk for developing knee OA.

Objectives: To assess (i) normal imaging anatomy of the popliteomeniscal fascicles, (ii) prevalence and natural evolution of popliteomeniscal fascicle tears (PMFT) in subjects with traumatic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears over 2 years and (iii) compare knee cartilage degeneration in subjects with and without PMFT longitudinally., Methods: 57 subjects with ACL tears were screened for PMFT. Morphological (high-resolution 3D fast spin-echo) and compositional (T1ρ and T2 mapping) MR imaging was performed prior to and 2 years after ACL reconstruction. Differences of morphological and compositional parameters were compared between subjects with and without PMFT using logistic regression, adjusting for age, sex and BMI., Results: In 24% (n = 14) of the subjects with ACL tear a PMFT was detected on baseline MRI. One subject with PMFT developed a meniscal tear over 2 years. Cartilage ∆T1ρ of the lateral femur increased significantly more in subjects with isolated PMFT compared to controls (mean difference, 2.0 ± 2.9 vs. -1.3 ± 1.6, p = 0.027)., Conclusion: PMFT detected by MRI are a common finding in subjects with ACL tears. Subjects with these defects showed higher compositional cartilage deterioration compared to controls, over 2 years in the lateral femoral compartment, indicating accelerated cartilage degeneration., Key Points: • Popliteomeniscal fascicle lesions are a common finding in subjects with ACL tears. • Progression to a meniscal tear over 2 years is not frequent. • Anteroinferior popliteomeniscal fascicle is injured most frequently. • Patients with popliteomeniscal fascicle lesions showed accelerated cartilage degeneration.

Objectives: To investigate the association of weight change over 48 months with progression of meniscal intrasubstance degeneration (MID)., Methods: We studied 487 subjects with MID at baseline and after 48 months using 3-T MRI with the same protocol (FSE sequences with and without fat suppression). These participants lost weight (≥3%, n = 141), had moderate weight gain (3-10%, n = 77), substantial weight gain (>10%, n = 15) or maintained stable weight (n = 254). Progression of MID to a meniscal tear was assessed using the WORMS grading system and compared among weight change groups using logistic regression. ANOVA and chi-square tests were used to study the differences in subjects' characteristics., Results: Progression of MID increased from weight loss to substantial weight gain (p < 0.001) and was significantly more likely with both moderate weight gain (odds ratio [OR], 4.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.4-8.9) and substantial weight gain (OR, 9.5; 95% CI 3.2-28.5) compared to stable weight. Results were similar in both menisci for moderate weight gain (medial: OR, 6.8; 95% CI 3.5-11.3; lateral: OR, 2.6; 95% CI 1.1-6.6) and substantial weight gain (medial: OR, 21.0; 95% CI 5.1-80.7; lateral: OR, 9.7; 95% CI 0.95-100.2)., Conclusion: Weight gain is associated with an increased likelihood that meniscal intrasubstance degeneration will progress with the risk increasing with greater weight gain., Key Points: • Subjects who gained weight were more likely to develop meniscal tears. • Greater amount of weight gain was associated with an increasing likelihood of progression. • Prevention of weight gain has health benefits for the meniscus.

Objective: The purpose of this prospective study is to assess MRI findings in patients with sporadic inclusion body myositis (IBM) and correlate them with clinical and functional parameters., Subjects and Methods: This study included 12 patients with biopsy-proven sporadic IBM. All patients underwent MRI of the bilateral upper and lower extremities. The images were scored for muscle atrophy, fatty infiltration, and edema pattern. Clinical data included onset and duration of disease. Muscle strength was measured using the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale, and functional status was assessed using the Modified Rankin Scale. Correlation between MRI and different clinical and functional parameters was calculated using the Spearman rank test and Pearson correlation., Results: All patients showed MRI abnormalities, which were more severe within the lower limbs and the distal segments. The most prevalent MRI finding was fat infiltration. There was a statistically significant correlation between disease duration and number of muscles infiltrated by fat (r = 0.65; p = 0.04). The number of muscles with fat infiltration correlated with the sum of the scores of MRC (r = -0.60; p = 0.04) and with the Modified Rankin Scale (r = 0.48; p = 0.03)., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that most patients with biopsy-proven sporadic IBM present with a typical pattern of muscle involvement at MRI, more extensively in the lower extremities. Moreover, MRI findings strongly correlated with clinical and functional parameters, because both the extent and severity of muscle involvement assessed by MRI and clinical and functional parameters are associated with the early onset of the disease and its duration.

Purpose To investigate the association of weight loss with progression of cartilage changes at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging over 48 months in overweight and obese participants compared with participants of stable weight. Materials and Methods The institutional review boards of the four participating centers approved this HIPAA-compliant study. Included were (a) 640 participants (mean age, 62.9 years ± 9.1 [standard deviation]; 398 women) who were overweight or obese (body mass index cutpoints of 25 and 30 kg/m 2 , respectively) from the Osteoarthritis Initiative, with risk factors for osteoarthritis or mild to moderate radiographic findings of osteoarthritis, categorized into groups with (a) weight loss of more than 10% (n = 82), (b) weight loss of 5%-10% (n = 238), or (c) stable weight (n = 320) over 48 months. Participants were frequency-matched for age, sex, baseline body mass index, and Kellgren-Lawrence score. Two radiologists assessed cartilage and meniscus defects on right knee 3-T MR images at baseline and 48 months by using the modified Whole-Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score (WORMS). Progression of the subscores was compared between the weight loss groups by using multivariable logistic regression models. Results Over 48 months, adjusted mean increase of cartilage WORMS was significantly smaller in the 5%-10% weight loss group (1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3, 1.9; P = .002) and even smaller in the group with more than 10% weight loss (1.0; 95% CI: 0.6, 1.4; P = .001) when compared with the stable weight group (2.3; 95% CI: 2.0, 2.7). Moreover, percentage of weight change was significantly associated with increase in cartilage WORMS (β = 0.2; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.4; P = .007). Conclusion Participants who lost weight over 48 months showed significantly lower cartilage degeneration, as assessed with MR imaging; rates of progression were lower with greater weight loss. © RSNA, 2017.

Objectives: To assess the impact of cyclops lesions with MRI in patients treated for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears on clinical outcome., Methods: In 113 patients (age 29.8 ± 10.5y; 55 females; BMI 24.8 ± 3.7 kg/m 2 ) with complete ACL tear, 3 T-MRI scans were obtained before, 6-months, 1-year (n = 75) and 2-years (n = 33) after ACL reconstruction. Presence and volume of cyclops lesions were assessed. Clinical outcomes were measured using the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and differences between time points (∆KOOS) were calculated. Changes of KOOS subscales were compared between patients with and without cyclops lesion. KOOS was also correlated with lesion volume., Results: Cyclops lesions were found in 25% (28/113), 27% (20/75) and 33% (11/33) of patients after 6-months, 1- and 2-years, respectively. The lesion volume did not change significantly (P > 0.05) between time points, measuring 0.65 ± 0.59, 0.81 ± 0.70 and 0.72.9 ± 0.96 cm 3 , respectively. Clinical outcomes based on KOOS subscales were not significantly different in patients with cyclops lesions compared to those without cyclops lesions (each comparison P > 0.05), and no significant associations of clinical outcomes with lesion volume were found (P > 0.05)., Conclusions: Neither presence nor size of cyclops lesions within the first 2-years after ACL surgery were associated with inferior clinical outcome., Key Points: • Cyclops lesions had a prevalence of 25% in patients after ACL reconstruction. • Subjects with cyclops lesions did not have an inferior clinical outcome. • Cyclops lesions developed within the first 6 months after surgery. • The size of cyclops lesions did not significantly change over a period of 2 years.

Objective: The objective of our study was to assess the prevalence and evolution of intrameniscal signal-intensity alteration in subjects with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear over 24 months and compare clinical outcome and changes of cartilage between subjects with and those without this meniscal abnormality., Materials and Methods: Fifty-seven subjects with an ACL tear were screened for intrameniscal signal-intensity alteration. Morphologic and compositional MRI was performed before ACL reconstruction and 12 and 24 months after ACL reconstruction. Twelve subjects with an intrameniscal signal-intensity alteration and 12 subjects without any meniscal abnormality on MRI were identified. Clinical outcome was measured using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and T1ρ and T2 maps of the cartilage were obtained., Results: In 10 of 12 subjects (83%) the meniscal signal-intensity abnormality identified on baseline MRI was located at the posterior horn of the medial meniscus. None of these subjects presented with a meniscal tear over 24 months of follow-up. At 12 months after the ACL tear, the intrameniscal signal-intensity alteration detected on baseline MRI had completely resolved in seven of 12 subjects (58%), showed a signal-intensity decrease in four (33%), and remained stable in one subject (8%). Of the 10 subjects who underwent MRI at 24 months, the meniscal signal-intensity alteration had completely resolved in eight (80%), and the signal intensity had decreased in the other two subjects. Changes in the KOOS and cartilage T1ρ and T2 values from baseline and 24 months did not differ significantly between subjects with and those without intrameniscal signal-intensity alteration (p > 0.05)., Conclusion: High intrameniscal signal-intensity alterations are a common finding in subjects with an ACL tear and have a benign course over 24 months after surgical repair of the ACL tear.