Information for Medical Professionals
Diagnostic arthroscopy can aid decision making
Diagnostic arthroscopy represents outstanding value when making decisions regarding therapeutic options for patients suffering from osteoarthritis, it has been claimed.
According to new research published in the journal BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, even if the practical benefits of MRI in pre-treatment diagnosis are unequivocal, using surgical diagnosis can further benefit patients.
The researchers behind the new paper, which compared MRI to arthroscopy, concluded that "the use of MRI for precise grading of the cartilage in osteoarthritis is limited".
However, they noted that "a tendency to underestimate cartilage disorders on MR images was not noticed".
They based their conclusion on the assessment of 36 patients with clinically significant osteoarthritis.
Earlier this year, research published in the Journal of Roentgenology found that high-contrast MRI scans can be used to differentiate between rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis.
Dr Nina Schwenzer, lead author behind the study, said that without the technique the two conditions can be difficult to tell apart.
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