Reliability of Vibroarthrography to Assess Knee Joint Sounds in Motion

Kristin Kalo,Rainer Sus,Volker Groß,Daniel Niederer,Lutz Vogt,Keywan Sohrabi

doi:10.3390/s20071998

Abstract

Knee acoustic emissions provide information about joint health and loading in motion. As the reproducibility of knee acoustic emissions by vibroarthrography is yet unknown, we evaluated the intrasession and interday reliability of knee joint sounds. In 19 volunteers (25.6 ± 2.0 years, 11 female), knee joint sounds were recorded by two acoustic sensors (16,000 Hz; medial tibial plateau, patella). All participants performed four sets standing up/sitting down (five repetitions each). For measuring intrasession reliability, we used a washout phase of 30 min between the first three sets, and for interday reliability we used a washout phase of one week between sets 3 and 4. The mean amplitude (dB) and median power frequency (Hz, MPF) were analyzed for each set. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs (2,1)), standard errors of measurement (SEMs), and coefficients of variability (CVs) were calculated. The intrasession ICCs ranged from 0.85 to 0.95 (tibia) and from 0.73 to 0.87 (patella). The corresponding SEMs for the amplitude were ≤1.44 dB (tibia) and ≤2.38 dB (patella); for the MPF, SEMs were ≤13.78 Hz (tibia) and ≤14.47 Hz (patella). The intrasession CVs were ≤0.06 (tibia) and ≤0.07 (patella) (p < 0.05). The interday ICCs ranged from 0.24 to 0.33 (tibia) and from 0 to 0.82 (patella) for both the MPF and amplitude. The interday SEMs were ≤4.39 dB (tibia) and ≤6.85 dB (patella) for the amplitude and ≤35.39 Hz (tibia) and ≤15.64 Hz (patella) for the MPF. The CVs were ≤0.14 (tibia) and ≤0.08 (patella). Knee joint sounds were highly repeatable within a single session but yielded inconsistent results for the interday reliability.

Highlights

Knee joint sounds were highly repeatable within a single session but yielded inconsistent results for the interday reliability
Acoustic emissions are seen as an indicator for joint conditions [1]
Results by Befrui et al [5] revealed a specificity of 80% and a sensitivity of 75% for the early diagnosis of osteoarthritis in comparison to symptom-free knee joint sounds

Summary

Introduction

Acoustic emissions are seen as an indicator for joint conditions [1]. McCoy et al [3] referred to the recording of vibrations caused by joint articulation through local accelerometers on the skin as vibroarthrography. A selective classification of osteoarthritis stages via vibroarthrography seems possible [4,5]. Some studies using vibroarthrography claim an even better detection of knee osteoarthritis stages than with the current imaging techniques [2,5]. Results by Befrui et al [5] revealed a specificity of 80% and a sensitivity of 75% for the early diagnosis of osteoarthritis in comparison to symptom-free knee joint sounds. Knee sounds produced by the articulation of joint components

Results

Discussion

Conclusion