Application of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Medical Rehabilitation Еffectiveness Assessing for Patients with Knee Joint Osteoarthritis: а Review

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. In recent years, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been increasingly used to diagnose early osteoarthritis (OA). Taking into account the fact that nowadays pharmacological agents are not effective enough and often lead to allergization of the body, there is a need to search for new non-drug methods of treatment of patients with knee joint OA that have proven effectiveness.
 AIM. To analyze scientific evidence on the use of MRI as an objective method of assessing the effectiveness of medical rehabilitation of patients with knee OA.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS. We searched for publications in the PEDro and PubMed for the period from 2000 to March 2023. Suitable articles were to reflect the use of MRI as a criterion for the effectiveness of medical rehabilitation in patients with OA of the knee joint.
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. As a result of a search in electronic resources, the largest number of works on the subject under study was found in PubMed. According to the literature quantitative analysis, 7256 works were identified, which reflect the use of MRI in medical rehabilitation. The publications in which the effectiveness of medical rehabilitation of patients with knee OA was evaluated by researchers using MRI accounted for 2.5 % of the total number. Most of the publications were in international databases, while they were practically absent in the Russian ones.
 CONCLUSION. Despite the scarce research on the matter, we can distinguish the following rehabilitation medicine methods with a proven effect on the ligamentous apparatus, cartilage and soft tissues of the knee joint in patients with OA, according to MRI data: shockwave therapy, physical therapy and ultrasound therapy. However, the need for further scientific research in this direction is obvious.