Francesca Bolacchi, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Ettore Squillaci MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Marco Antonicoli, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Simone Altobelli, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Alberto bergamini, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Giovanni Simonetti MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To investigate whether synovial fluid 1-H MRS could be appropriate as a diagnostic biomarker for detecting intra-articular inflammation and early cartilage degradation in knee joint Osteoarthritis (OA)

At baseline, 63 subjects aged 26 to 83 with normal or OA-affected knees were recruited to provide a broad range of OA states. The synovial fluid MRS lipid spectrum was analysed and a lipid unsaturation index (UI) was calculated. Diagnostic ability of UI was evaluated by comparison with conventional OA markers, specifically cartilage volume from MRI, joint space width (JSW) from radiographs, and pain scores.

A total of 43 subjects concluded the 13-months study. The UI performed at least similar to JSW and were superior to volume markers (AUC for UI of 0.82 was higher than the 0.53 for volume, P< 0.001, and marginally higher than 0.75 for JSW, P = 0.038). The UI allowed diagnostic detection of pain presence (P=0.03) and showed correlation with pain severity (e.g., r = –0.72). The longitudinal change in UI was correlated with cartilage loss (r=0.65).

Synovial fluid 1-H MRS could be appropriate as a diagnostic marker for knee joint osteoarthritis. Furthermore, correlations between UI and pain values and UI and cartilage loss supported a link to progression of OA. Thereby, UI as determined by 1-H MRS may allow detection and monitoring of knee OA.

Synovial fluid 1-H MRS allows detection and monitoring of knee osteoarthritis by providing a novel biomarker of disease activity.

Bolacchi, F, Squillaci, E, Antonicoli, M, Altobelli, S, bergamini, A, Simonetti, G, Synovial Fluid 1-H MRS as an Imaging Biomarker for the Diagnosis of Knee Joint Osteoarthritis and the Evaluation of Disease Progression.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14010443.html