An ultrasound score for knee osteoarthritis: a cross-sectional validation study

• Published in: Osteoarthritis and cartilage Vol. 22; no. 10; pp. 1675 - 1691
• Main Authors: Riecke, B.F, Christensen, R, Torp-Pedersen, S, Boesen, M, Gudbergsen, H, Bliddal, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-10-2014
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cartilage, Articular - diagnostic imaging; Cartilage, Articular - pathology; Clinical outcome; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Hypertrophy; Kellgren–Lawrence score; Knee Joint - diagnostic imaging; Knee osteoarthritis; KOOS; Male; Menisci, Tibial - diagnostic imaging; Middle Aged; Musculoskeletal ultrasound; Organ Size; Osteoarthritis, Knee - complications; Osteoarthritis, Knee - diagnostic imaging; Osteophyte - diagnostic imaging; Osteophyte - etiology; Reproducibility of Results; Rheumatology; Severity of Illness Index; Synovial Membrane - diagnostic imaging; Synovial Membrane - pathology; Ultrasonography; Clinical outcome; Knee osteoarthritis; Kellgren–Lawrence score; Musculoskeletal ultrasound; KOOS
• ISSN: 1063-4584; 1522-9653
• DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2014.06.020

Summary Objective To develop standardized musculoskeletal ultrasound (MUS) procedures and scoring for detecting knee osteoarthritis (OA) and test the MUS score's ability to discern various degrees of knee OA, in comparison with plain radiography and the ‘ Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score ’ (KOOS) domains as comparators. Method A cross-sectional study of MUS examinations in 45 patients with knee OA. Validity, reliability, and reproducibility were evaluated. Results MUS examination for knee OA consists of five separate domains assessing (1) predominantly morphological changes in the medial compartment, (2) predominantly inflammation in the medial compartment, (3) predominantly morphological changes in the lateral compartment, (4) predominantly inflammation in the lateral compartment, and (5) effusion. MUS scores displayed substantial reliability and reproducibility, with interclass correlations coefficients ranging from 0.75 to 0.97 for the five domains. Construct validity was confirmed with statistically significant correlation coefficients (0.47–0.81, P  < 0.01). Conclusion The MUS score suggested in this study was reliable and valid in detecting knee OA. In comparison with standing radiographs of the knees, the score detected all aspects of knee OA with relevant precision.