Clinical value of some knee and hip MRIs questioned

While MRI-detected biomarkers may serve a beneficial role for people with hip and knee pain, the modality's clinical utility may be limited in patients over the age of 45 in patients with advanced osteoarthritis, according to an article published in the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR). After performing a systematic review and meta-analysis of current literature to assess the clinical utility of MRI in this patient population, NYU Langone Health researchers found several knee structural lesions on MRI that represented potential imaging biomarkers. However, they also found that identifying meniscal tears on MRI likely has diminished clinical value. "For the hip, MRI can play a role in the diagnosis of labral tears, chondral lesions, and femoroacetabular impingement in patients without advanced osteoarthritis," the authors wrote. Erin Alaia, MD.Although pathology on MRI correlating with symptoms guides clinical decision-making in younger patients, osteoarthritis and coexistent pathology such as meniscal or labral tears are increasingly evident with advancing age, according to Erin Alaia, MD, Mohammad Samim, MD, and colleagues from NYU Langone Health's department of radiology with collaborators from NYU Langone Health's department of orthopedic surgery and the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences."There is an increased awareness and discussion around the appropriateness of imaging the middle-aged and older patient population," Alaia e...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Musculoskeletal Radiology MRI Source Type: news