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Abstract
The present study aimed to quantify and visualize the degenerative patterns of the distal tibia and fibula due to ankle osteoarthritis (OA). We analyzed differences in tibial and fibular surface deviation between sides of patients with unilateral varus ankle OA (medial talar tilt > 4°) by registering each surface model to the mirror image of corresponding bone. Computed tomography images of both feet of 33 patients (OA: 22, control: 11) were examined. Statistically significant surface depression of approximately 2.5 mm on the anterior articular surface of the medial malleolus, and surface elevation of approximately 1 mm on the anterodistal edge of the tibiofibular joint and the lateral malleolus were observed in OA patients. These bone degenerations were found to be correlated with those on the other side of the ankle joint, the medial margin of the talar trochlea and the lateral articular surface of the talus, respectively. In contrast, the amount of bone depression on the plafond was smaller than previously anticipated. Such quantitative information about stereotypical patterns of bone degeneration in ankle OA would contribute to better understanding of the development of ankle OA and possible therapeutic interventions.
Highlights
The present study aimed to quantify and visualize the degenerative patterns of the distal tibia and fibula due to ankle osteoarthritis (OA)
We suggested that left–right comparison of ankle bones in patients with unilateral ankle OA allows quantification and visualization of the patterns of bone degeneration occurring in ankle OA because the effect of the large inter-individual variabilities in the bone morphology can be eliminated, since left and right tali of healthy human are basically symmetrical[9]
It has been reported that there is a slight left–right asymmetry in the human tibia and fibula[10], but if the surface deviations in the unilateral varus ankle OA patients are significantly larger than the surface deviations due to this inherent asymmetry in healthy humans, we can firmly conclude that the extracted surface deviations in the patients are due to degeneration in ankle OA
Summary
The present study aimed to quantify and visualize the degenerative patterns of the distal tibia and fibula due to ankle osteoarthritis (OA). We suggested that left–right comparison of ankle bones in patients with unilateral ankle OA allows quantification and visualization of the patterns of bone degeneration occurring in ankle OA because the effect of the large inter-individual variabilities in the bone morphology can be eliminated, since left and right tali of healthy human are basically symmetrical[9]. The aim was to visualize and quantify three-dimensionally the patterns of morphological degeneration of the distal tibia and fibula in patients with varus ankle OA by the left–right comparison of the bones in patients with unilateral ankle OA. It has been reported that there is a slight left–right asymmetry in the human tibia and fibula[10], but if the surface deviations in the unilateral varus ankle OA patients are significantly larger than the surface deviations due to this inherent asymmetry in healthy humans, we can firmly conclude that the extracted surface deviations in the patients are due to degeneration in ankle OA
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