Reference Values of Normal Femoral Condylar Cartilage Thickness and Its Ultrasonographic Findings

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To establish reference values for the femoral condylar cartilage thickness and to observe the cartilage clarity and sharpness between different age groups of healthy Koreans employing a ultrasonographic scanner. METHOD: 105 healthy volunteers from the ages of twenties to the fifties, without clinical signs of osteoarthritis were recruited for the study. Cartilage thickness at both intercondylar notch, medial condylar and lateral condylar area were obtained with 12 MHz linear transducer, in supine position under maximum flexion of the knee joints. Cartilage sharpness and clarity were also recorded in grade between 0 to 3. RESULTS: The thickness of cartilage significantly decreased with the increment of age (p<0.05) and the cartilage of the man was much thicker than woman (p=0.000). Grade of the sharpness and clarity was not different between age groups and the checked grade was mostly grade 1 and there was no grade 3. CONCLUSION: This study defines standard reference values of femoral condylar cartilage for musculoskeletal ultrasonography to prevent misinterpretation of thinning of cartilage thickness in difference age groups and sex. With these findings, we can specify the range of normal degenerative change of femoral condylar cartilage.