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In-office imaging seen as similar to arthroscopy in diagnosis of knee joint pathology
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In-office diagnostic imaging was similar to surgical diagnostic arthroscopy and was more detailed and accurate than MRI in the diagnosis of intra-articular, non-ligamentous knee joint pathology, according to recently published results.
Researchers performed a physical examination, MRI, in-office diagnostic imaging and a diagnostic arthroscopic examination in the operating room for 110 patients who presented with knee pain between April 2012 and April 2013. For each patient, in-office arthroscopic examination and surgical diagnostic arthroscopy were compared by the attending physician. In-office arthroscopic images and MRIs were reviewed by two blinded experts who were unaffiliated with the clinical care of the patients. Surgical diagnostic arthroscopy images were used as the control group.
Results showed in-office arthroscopy had equivalent accuracy, sensitivity and specificity to surgical diagnostic arthroscopy. However, researchers found in-office arthroscopy was more accurate than MRI. According to results, all kappa statistics were between 0.766 and 0.902 when comparing in-office arthroscopy with surgical diagnostic arthroscopy. Researchers noted kappa statistics ranged from 0.130 to 0.535 and from 0.112 and 0.546 when comparing MRI with surgical diagnostic arthroscopy and in-office arthroscopy, respectively. In-office arthroscopy had no patient-related or device-related complications.
“Based on the study results, in-office diagnostic imaging provides a safe, accurate, real-time, minimally invasive diagnostic modality to evaluate intra-articular pathology without the need for surgical diagnostic arthroscopy or high-cost imaging,” the authors wrote. – by Casey Tingle
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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