Aims and objectives
Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is a common knee condition,
especially occurring among young and physically active individuals.
PFP is characterized by retropatellar or- peripatellar pain provoked by movements of the patellofemoral joint,
such as kneeling,
squatting and prolonged sitting with the knees bent [1,
2].
A variety of treatments,
such as exercise therapy and orthoses,
are applied,
but effects are small and a substantial group of patients with persistent complaints remains [3-4].
It has been suggested that PFP may be a precursor to patellofemoral osteoarthritis (PFOA),...
Methods and materials
Patients diagnosed with PFP and healthy control subjects aged 14-40 years were included in a cross-sectional case-control study.
Measures included a questionnaire,
physical examination and MRI.
MRI was performed on a 3T MRI scanner (Discovery MR750,
GE Healthcare,
Milwaukee,
USA),
using a dedicated 8-channel knee coil.
The image protocol consisted of high resolution 3D SPGR sequence and 3D fast spin-echo T1ρ and T2 mapping sequences.
Images in the T1ρ mapping protocol were acquired with spin lock times (TSLs) of 1,
16,
32,
64 and 125...
Results
59 patients and 67 control subjects were included.
BMI was significantly lower and sports participation significantly higher in control subjects (Fig. 3).
Mean T1ρ relaxation times of the patellar (46.8 vs 46.1 milliseconds (ms),
p = 0.94) and trochlear cartilage (50.9 vs 50.1 ms,
p = 0.52) did not significantly differ between patients and control subjects.
In addition,
no significant difference was seen between patients and control subjects in mean T2 relaxation times of patellar (33.4 vs 32.8 ms,
p = 0.16) and trochlear cartilage...
Conclusion
Our findings suggest that cartilage composition,
measured by T1ρ and T2 mapping,
does not play a role in the etiology of PFP.
However,
follow-up research will focus on the outcomes of delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage (dGEMRIC) and onpotential regional differences within the patellar and trochlear cartilage.
Personal information
Rianne van der Heijden,
M.D.
Department of Radiology and department of General Practice,
Erasmus MC,
University Medical Center Rotterdam,
The Netherlands;
[email protected]
Pieter Vissers,
B.Sc.
Department of General Practice,
Erasmus MC,
University Medical Center Rotterdam,
The Netherlands
Esther Bron,
M.Sc.
Department of Radiology,
Erasmus MC,
University Medical Center Rotterdam,
The Netherlands
Stefan Klein,
Ph.D.
Department of Radiology,
Erasmus MC,
University Medical Center Rotterdam,
The Netherlands
Jan Verhaar,
Ph.D.
Department of Orthopaedics,
Erasmus MC,
University Medical Center Rotterdam,
The Netherlands
Gabriel Krestin,
Ph.D.
Department of Radiology,...
References
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Foot...