Evaluation of Distal Femoral Cartilage by B-Mode Ultrasonography and Shear Wave Elastography in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: a Preliminary Study

Abstract

Background Degenerative change in articular cartilage is one of the most important factors in the development of osteoarthritis. Shear wave elastography can be used to identify pathologic cartilage. Purpose To evaluate distal femoral cartilage by shear wave elastography in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. Material and methods Twenty patients with bilateral knee osteoarthritis (study group) and 20 volunteers with the same demographic characteristics but without symptomatic knee pain (control group) were included in the study. A total of 80 knee joints of 40 individuals were evaluated. At the medial, intercondylar, and lateral condylar levels distal femoral cartilage thickness was measured by B-mode ultrasonography and stiffness was measured by shear wave elastography. Results The medial, intercondylar, and lateral cartilage thickness measurements were similar between the two groups and no statistically significant difference was observed (P = 0.711,P = 0.766, andP = 0.575, respectively). The shear wave velocity values in the medial and intercondylar cartilage were significantly higher in the study group (P = 0.002). Shear wave velocity values measured from lateral cartilage were higher in the study group and the difference between the groups had a borderline statistical significance (P = 0.053). Conclusion Shear wave elastography seems to be a reliable, non-invasive, and acceptable method for the assessment of pathologic cartilage.