Reumatizam, Vol. 62 No. suppl. 1, 2015.
Review article
EARLY VS. ADVANCED OSTEOARTHRITIS FROM A RADIOLOGICAL ASPECT
Kristina Potočki
Dubravko Bajramović
Luka Novosel
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis.
It has a significant impact on the life of an individual
as well as on the general health of the population. The
progress achieved in image processing and acquisition
techniques has made it possible to visualize the articular
cartilage as well as the soft tissues around and inside the
joint. By using these techniques, it is possible to depict
the morphology of cartilage and assess its biochemical
composition. MRI is the most important imaging method
for visualization of the cartilage in OA, although certain
larger cartilage lesions can also be seen by US, which is
considered a complementary imaging method. With the
growing epidemic of obesity and longer life expectancy in
the general population, the prevalence of OA is expected
to rise in the future. Risk factors for OA include: older
age, obesity, previous injury, genetic predisposition with
a significant family history for certain diseases, reduced
levels of sex hormones, muscle weakness, and repeated
overuse of a joint. Factors that can also contribute to the
development of OA include: infection, crystal deposition
disease, acromegaly, inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic
diseases such as alkaptonuria, hemochromatosis, and Wilson’s disease, or hemoglobinopathies such as sickle
cell anemia and thalassemia, as well as neuroarthropathies
that lead to Charcot arthropathy or syringomyelia,
tabes, and diabetes.
Despite all recent advances in therapy, there is still no effective
treatment for OA, which results from the still incomplete
understanding of the pathophysiology and natural
processes of OA. The inflammatory changes that occur
in OA are probably secondary, with changes in cartilage
and subchondral bone occurring first. This is the reason
why OA is not considered to be a passive degenerative disease
but an active process caused by mechanical factors.
Primary and secondary OA have the same pathohistological
basis. Bilateral and symmetrically affected joints are
typically encountered in primary OA, especially when wrists
are involved. Initial changes in OA are usually found
on the articular cartilage of synovial joints, but they also
occur in the synovial fluid, subchondral bone, joint capsule,
and other articular tissue.
Keywords
osteoarthritis; standard radiology imaging; magnetic resonance; ultrasound
Hrčak ID:
182727
URI
Publication date:
10.10.2015.
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