Calcified Cartilage Thickness Research Articles

Quantitative analysis of the bone-cartilage interface within the knee

Changes in cartilage thickness, calcified cartilage thickness, subchondral bone plate thickness and cartilage vascularity have been proposed as mediators or initiators of degenerative joint disease, but the changes seen in these parameters in normal ageing have not been determined. Image analysis techniques were used to examine these parameters. Cartilage condition deteriorated significantly with age. Cartilage thickness decreased with age, most rapidly in the patella. Subchondral plate thickness was greatest in the medial tibial plateau, and decreased in thickness with age. Calcified cartilage thickness appeared as a constant, showing no regional variation nor any changes with age. This was despite the significant increase in tidemark numbers with age. It is hypothesized that there is an optimum thickness of calcified cartilage, which allows the firm anchoring of collagen fibres within the cartilage matrix without adversely affecting the elasticity of hyaline cartilage.

Calcified cartilage, subchondral and cancellous bone morphometry within the knee of normal subjects

This study examined calcified cartilage and bone structure in the development of age-related cartilage changes in the knee. Image analysis was used to examine the calcified cartilage and bone structure. There was a significant decrease in bone volume fraction with increasing age in the knee except for the patella. The study found the cancellous network of the patella to be markedly different from other regions of the knee. The bone volume of the patella is significantly higher and fails to show a decrease with age. A correlation exists between subchondral bone and both the volume and the trabecular thickness of the adjacent cancellous network. A correlation between calcified cartilage thickness and the bone volume and the trabecular thickness of the adjacent cancellous network exists only in the patella. It is proposed that this relationship is an adaptation in dealing with high shear forces in the patello femoral joint.

The effect of removal of the medical collateral ligament on subchondral bone and cartilage in the growing rat knee joint.

The growing knee joint in immature rats was chosen as a model to study quantitatively bone apposition and thickness of articular cartilage after surgical removal of the medial collateral ligament. In 32 rats, subchondral bone apposition was assessed by measuring double tetracycline labelling, and the thickness of calcified and uncalcified articular cartilage was measured by image analysis. The results indicate that there was a significant increase in subchondral bone growth after removal of the medial collateral ligament, but no change in thickness of the calcified and uncalcified zones of the articular cartilage in the medial knee compartment. Further, despite an obvious increase in valgus laxity on manual examination, there were no signs of articular cartilage degeneration in any animal. The study shows that traumatic injury to ligaments and joint instability during the growing period may influence the development of subchondral bone in the knee joint.