Worsening of Articular Tissue Damage as Defined by Semi-Quantitative MRI Is Associated With Concurrent Quantitative Cartilage Loss Over 24 Months

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of worsening of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) semi-quantitative (SQ) tissue features with concurrent change in quantitative (Q) cartilage thickness measurements over 24 months within the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) Biomarker Consortium study. METHODS: In all, 599 participants were included. SQ assessment included cartilage damage, meniscal extrusion and damage, osteophytes, bone marrow lesions (BMLs), and effusion- and Hoffa-synovitis. Change in medial compartment Q cartilage thickness was stratified by concurrent ipsicompartmental SQ changes. Between-group comparisons were performed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Results were presented as adjusted mean difference. RESULTS: Knees with any increase in SQ cartilage scores in the medial compartment (n = 268) showed more Q cartilage loss compared to knees that remained stable (mean adjusted difference [MAD] = -0.16 mm, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [-0.19, -0.13] mm). Knees with any increase in meniscal extrusion in the medial compartment (n = 98) showed more Q cartilage loss than knees without (MAD = -0.18 mm, 95% CI: [-0.22, -0.14] mm. Comparable findings were seen for meniscal damage worsening. Regarding BMLs, an increase by one subregion resulted in a MAD of Q cartilage loss of -0.10 mm, 95% CI: [-0.14, -0.06] mm, while this effect almost tripled for change in two or more subregions. Increase in either effusion- and/or Hoffa-synovitis by one grade resulted in a MAD of -0.07 mm, 95% CI: [-0.10, -0.03] mm. CONCLUSION: Worsening of SQ cartilage damage, meniscal extrusion and damage, number of subregions affected by BML, maximum size of BMLs and worsening of effusion- and/or Hoffa synovitis is associated with increased Q cartilage loss.