Abstract
Aims: The objective of this study was to investigate the ability of ultrasound backscattering to detect degeneration of articular cartilage. For this aim, ultrasound B-mode images were acquired from the surfaces of normal and degenerated bovine cartilage samples. Methods: Cylindrical osteochondral samples (n=31) with different degenerative cartilage appearance were prepared from the bovine patellae. Subsequently, degenerative stages of the samples were quantiþed using the Mankin score method. Ultrasound B-mode images of the samples were obtained using a 20 MHz ultrasound instrument (CortexTech.,Denmark).Biomechanical reference measurements were conducted using a stress-relaxation protocol (10% prestrain, 10% strain, 2 mm/s ramp velocity) in unconþned compression geometry. Results: Average reßection coefþcient ( ARC) (r=0.58) and integrated reßection coefþcient ( IRC) (r=0.53) correlated positively with the cartilage dynamic modulus. Furthermore, moduli decreased as a function of Mankin score (r ≤ −0.68). Finally, strong linear correlations were established between the backscattering parameters and the Mankin score (r=−0.79 for the ARC and r =−0.78 for the IRC). Conclusions: Results of this study suggest that ultrasound backscattering from the articular surface is able to diagnose the degeneration of AC. Theoretically, it is also possible to evaluate changes in subchondral bone with the backscatter measurements. In conclusion, ultrasound backscattering, when applied arthroscopically in vivo, may signiþcantly beneþt clinical diagnostics of early osteoarthrosis as well as monitoring of tissue healing after cartilage repair surgery.
Theses abstracts were prepared by Professor Dr. Frantz Langlais. Correspondence should be addressed to him at EFORT Central Office, Freihofstrasse 22, CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland.
