Assessment of Meniscal Pathologies and Meniscal Volume Quantification in Individuals with and without Radiographic Osteoarthritis

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine whether osteoarthritis (OA) is associated with meniscus volume and pathologies in young and middle-aged individuals. Methods: This study assessed 155 knee magnetic resonance images (MRIs) and X-rays from 138 participants aged 18-65. The knee X-ray examination was employed to identify OA, whereas the knee MRI was utilized to evaluate meniscal diseases. The volume of the meniscus was measured using ITK-SNAP software. Results: There was a strong correlation between age and OA (P < .001). A link was identified between medial and lateral meniscus disease and age (P < .001, P = .002, respectively). Osteoarthritis was identified as being linked to both medial and lateral meniscus diseases (P < .001, P = .007 respectively). Medial meniscus extrusion was identified as being correlated with OA (P < .001). Neither medial nor lateral meniscus volumes showed significant correlations with OA (P= .236, P = .501 respectively). The inter-reader agreement for meniscal volume measurements was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). ICCs for inter-reader agreement was 0.84. Conclusion: In cases of meniscal disorders, including meniscal extrusion, even in the absence of OA symptoms, the patient should be considered at risk for OA and monitored accordingly. Given the aging population that is predicted to rise over the next several years, this strategy will also help to manage the condition more affordably.