Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2010 Jul;1(3):157-64.
doi: 10.1177/1947603510364539.

Diagnostic Modalities for Diseased Articular Cartilage-From Defect to Degeneration: A Review

J E J Bekkers  1 , L B Creemers  1 , W J A Dhert  1 , D B F Saris  1
Affiliations
Review

Diagnostic Modalities for Diseased Articular Cartilage-From Defect to Degeneration: A Review

J E J Bekkers et al. Cartilage. 2010 Jul.

Abstract

The progression of cartilage matrix damage to generalized degeneration is associated with specific pathophysiological and clinical aspects. Reliable detection of stage-related characteristics of cartilage disease serves both a therapeutic and prognostic goal. Over the past years, several (pre)clinical diagnostic modalities for cartilage pathologies have been advocated. Each modality focuses on different aspects of the disease. Early diagnosis, before irreversible damage has occurred, opens up the possibility for better treatment and improves the patients' prognosis. This article gives an overview of the diagnostic modalities available for monitoring cartilage pathology and focuses on reliability, clinical value, current status, and possible applications.

Keywords: articular cartilage; degeneration; diagnosis.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (left) and dGEMRIC scan (right) of articular cartilage.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Burr DB. Anatomy and physiology of the mineralized tissues: role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthrosis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2004;12(suppl A):S20-S30. - PubMed
    1. Lohmander LS, Englund PM, Dahl LL, Roos EM. The long-term consequence of anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus injuries: osteoarthritis. Am J Sports Med. 2007;35(10):1756-69. - PubMed
    1. Buckwalter JA, Mankin HJ, Grodzinsky AJ. Articular cartilage and osteoarthritis. Instr Course Lect. 2005;54:465-80. - PubMed
    1. Kidd BL. Osteoarthritis and joint pain. Pain. 2006;123(1-2):6-9. - PubMed
    1. Altman R, Asch E, Bloch D, Bole G, Borenstein D, Brandt K, et al. Development of criteria for the classification and reporting of osteoarthritis: classification of osteoarthritis of the knee. Diagnostic and Therapeutic Criteria Committee of the American Rheumatism Association. Arthritis Rheum. 1986;29(8):1039-49. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources