Abstract des Autors

Conventional imaging procedures are often inadequate for diagnosing incipient chondromalacia patellae (CMP) in the presence of exercise-induced retropatellar pain. MRI at present is the most sensitive non-invasive method for demonstrating changes in the structural morphology of cartilage. The present study proposes a new MRI-specific staging of CMP, which is based on cartilage thickness reduction and signal intensity behaviour under compression as well as cartilage morphology in the plan image. The investigation was performed in 30 patients with varying knee complaints who underwent arthroscopy after MR imaging. Based on the decrease in cartilage thickness and on signal intensity alterations under compression, morphologic measurements by MRI permit the detection of early chondral lesions, even if the chondral surface is still arthroscopically intact. This non-invasive method may be useful for planning therapeutic steps, especially in young patients and athletes. Verf.-Referat