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Evaluation
and standardization of the hip examination in osteoarthritis
Early hip OA
MRI pilot study
Special
Cartilage MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) Sub-study
for Soccer Youth with Knee Injuries
Knee
pain location and findings on x-ray and MRI in knee
osteoarthritis: is there a connection?
Knee pain location and findings on x-ray and
MRI in knee osteoarthritis: is there a connection?
Synopsis:
Osteoarthritis
(OA) pain is the main reason for reduced quality of
life in OA patients. Although x-rays and magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) can be helpful for doctors to assess the
development of OA, it is unclear how knee pain relates
to the findings from these tests. The purpose of this
study is to provide a better understanding of the relationship
between pain and information about knee OA as seen in
x-rays and MRI. The results from this study may lead
to research into early diagnosis and treatment options
for people who are of higher risk of developing OA.
Introduction
and Background:
OA
is the most common form of arthritis in the world. As
well, pain in the joints is a major concern for OA patients.
However, joint pain is not reported by everyone and
the amount of pain that is felt can vary between people.
Pain diagrams as reported by patients are a useful and
inexpensive way for doctors to give a quick estimate
of pain location without the use of x-rays and MRI,
which can be costly. Currently x-rays are used by doctors
to estimate the severity of OA in the knee joint. However,
the connection between characteristics of OA in x-rays
and pain as reported by patients is still not clear.
MRI is a method of imaging that uses computerized images
of the knee joint. It is a more detailed method of looking
at the knee joint because it can detect features of
arthritis, such as cartilage changes, which cannot be
observed through x-rays. Despite this, there is little
research on the connection between knee pain location
with x-ray and MRI information in patients with OA.
The
purpose of this study is to provide a better understanding
of the relationship between pain and information about
knee OA as seen in x-rays and MRI.
Participant
Recruitment:
Participants
are aged 40-79 years with knee pain and recruited from
the Development of a Model for the MRI Progression of
Knee Osteoarthritis Study (Phase 2 of the Knee Pain
Study).
Methodology:
This
study will look at whether questions about pain location
can be filled out correctly by the study participants
and whether it can be filled out correctly on an ongoing
basis. This information will be obtained by a questionnaire
and will be completed during the regular visit to the
Arthritis Research Centre for Phase 2 of the Knee Pain
Study. MRI and x-ray scans of the knee will also be
taken within one month of this visit. Two months after
their visit, participants will be mailed a questionnaire
to be filled out again. Information about the knee pain
location will be compared to findings on x-ray and MRI.
Time
Frame:
May 2007 to September 2008.
Results:
This project is in the development phase. Results are
expected in 2008.
Relevance
to People Living with Arthritis:
This
study will allow us to have a better understanding of
the nature of OA pain and its relationship to MRI and
x-ray. The results from the questionnaire will allow
us to link the location of joint pain of OA patients
with findings from x-rays and MRI. This will give doctors
a simple and inexpensive way of assessing patients with
early knee OA. Findings from this study may also lead
to an earlier diagnosis of knee OA and investigations
for treatment strategies can be done in people who are
at high risk of developing OA.
Consumer
Involvement:
Consumers
will be involved only as participants in this study.
Funding
Agency:
This
study is funded by the OA NET grant, which is funded
by the CIHR and the Canadian Arthritis Network.
Publications:
The results from this study will be written up as part
of a Master's thesis, presented at arthritis research
meetings, and will be published in medical journals.
Project
Team Members and Contact Person:
Principal
Investigator:
Winnie
Tam, Master's Candidate
Experimental
Medicine, UBC
Arthritis
Research Centre of Canada
Other
Investigators:
Jolanda
Cibere, MD, PhD
Research
Scientist, Arthritis Research Centre of Canada
Keywords
pain,
knee, osteoarthritis, MRI,
x-ray
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