Observations of early structural changes over 6 years on magnetic resonance imaging in knees without radiographic osteoarthritis
Magnusson, Karin LU ; Turkiewicz, Aleksandra LU ; Paemre, Jaanika ; Mahmoudian, Armaghan LU and Englund, Martin LU
(2026)
In Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
34(4).
p.607-613
- Abstract
Objective: To describe longitudinal changes of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) features in the medial vs lateral tibiofemoral (TF) and patellofemoral (PF) compartments, in knees with no radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) at baseline. Design: In 340 individuals from the Osteoarthritis Initiative aged 45–55 years (51% women) with 430 knees at risk for OA and 250 not at risk, we assessed MRI scans of both knees using the MRI OA Knee Score system. A change in a feature from baseline to 6 years was defined as ≥1 grade increase in ≥1 subregion. We compared risk for structural changes across knee compartments and by risk status using mixed effects Poisson regression. Results: MRI changes over 6 years were common, with 89% of persons (76% of... (More)
Objective: To describe longitudinal changes of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) features in the medial vs lateral tibiofemoral (TF) and patellofemoral (PF) compartments, in knees with no radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) at baseline. Design: In 340 individuals from the Osteoarthritis Initiative aged 45–55 years (51% women) with 430 knees at risk for OA and 250 not at risk, we assessed MRI scans of both knees using the MRI OA Knee Score system. A change in a feature from baseline to 6 years was defined as ≥1 grade increase in ≥1 subregion. We compared risk for structural changes across knee compartments and by risk status using mixed effects Poisson regression. Results: MRI changes over 6 years were common, with 89% of persons (76% of knees) showing increased cartilage damage, 50% (37%) in osteophytes, 75% (57%) in Bone Marrow Lesions (BMLs), and 28% (18%) with meniscal damage. Changes were most common in the PF joint, with risk ratios (RR) vs lateral TF joint of 2.4 (95% CI 1.9–3.0) for cartilage damage, 1.3 (1.2–1.5) for osteophytes and 2.8 (2.3–3.4) for BMLs. The risk of meniscal damage in the medial TF was higher compared to the lateral TF (RR 2.8 [1.9–4.1]). At-risk knee status was associated with an increased risk of meniscal damage (RR 1.8 [1.2–2.7]) but weakly with changes in cartilage damage, osteophytes, or BMLs. Conclusion: Increase in structural damage occurs in majority of knees with Kellgren-Lawrence 0 at baseline, irrespectively of presence of OA risk factors. Most early changes occurred in the PF joint.
(Less)
- author
- Magnusson, Karin
LU
; Turkiewicz, Aleksandra
LU
; Paemre, Jaanika
; Mahmoudian, Armaghan
LU
and Englund, Martin
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Bone marrow lesions, Cartilage damage, Early-stage osteoarthritis, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Meniscal damage, Osteophytes
- in
- Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
- volume
- 34
- issue
- 4
- pages
- 607 - 613
- publisher
- W.B. Saunders
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105024870535
- pmid:41360180
- ISSN
- 1063-4584
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.joca.2025.12.003
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Authors
- id
- aab2e96c-00cb-4592-9d54-abb66c792d71
- date added to LUP
- 2026-03-03 14:38:20
- date last changed
- 2026-08-06 14:37:03
@article{aab2e96c-00cb-4592-9d54-abb66c792d71,
abstract = {{<p>Objective: To describe longitudinal changes of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) features in the medial vs lateral tibiofemoral (TF) and patellofemoral (PF) compartments, in knees with no radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) at baseline. Design: In 340 individuals from the Osteoarthritis Initiative aged 45–55 years (51% women) with 430 knees at risk for OA and 250 not at risk, we assessed MRI scans of both knees using the MRI OA Knee Score system. A change in a feature from baseline to 6 years was defined as ≥1 grade increase in ≥1 subregion. We compared risk for structural changes across knee compartments and by risk status using mixed effects Poisson regression. Results: MRI changes over 6 years were common, with 89% of persons (76% of knees) showing increased cartilage damage, 50% (37%) in osteophytes, 75% (57%) in Bone Marrow Lesions (BMLs), and 28% (18%) with meniscal damage. Changes were most common in the PF joint, with risk ratios (RR) vs lateral TF joint of 2.4 (95% CI 1.9–3.0) for cartilage damage, 1.3 (1.2–1.5) for osteophytes and 2.8 (2.3–3.4) for BMLs. The risk of meniscal damage in the medial TF was higher compared to the lateral TF (RR 2.8 [1.9–4.1]). At-risk knee status was associated with an increased risk of meniscal damage (RR 1.8 [1.2–2.7]) but weakly with changes in cartilage damage, osteophytes, or BMLs. Conclusion: Increase in structural damage occurs in majority of knees with Kellgren-Lawrence 0 at baseline, irrespectively of presence of OA risk factors. Most early changes occurred in the PF joint.</p>}},
author = {{Magnusson, Karin and Turkiewicz, Aleksandra and Paemre, Jaanika and Mahmoudian, Armaghan and Englund, Martin}},
issn = {{1063-4584}},
keywords = {{Bone marrow lesions; Cartilage damage; Early-stage osteoarthritis; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Meniscal damage; Osteophytes}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{4}},
pages = {{607--613}},
publisher = {{W.B. Saunders}},
series = {{Osteoarthritis and Cartilage}},
title = {{Observations of early structural changes over 6 years on magnetic resonance imaging in knees without radiographic osteoarthritis}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2025.12.003}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.joca.2025.12.003}},
volume = {{34}},
year = {{2026}},
}