Analysis of the Pathophysiological and Functional State of the Knee Joint (Gait-MRI-Knee)

Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli

Status

Enrolling

Conditions

Cartilage Degeneration

Osteoarthritis, Knee

Treatments

Diagnostic Test: Gait analysis, Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT06490770

Gait-MRI-Knee

Details and patient eligibility

About

Osteoarthritis is the most common degenerative condition affecting the knee joint globally, with an incidence of about 7% of the population. In Italy, it affects approximately 3.9 million people, with a direct treatment cost of around €2.5 billion. At the joint level, osteoarthritis manifests with pain and reduced functionality, worsening as the disease progresses and severely limiting knee movement. Compounding this, osteoarthritis can impact both elderly and younger individuals due to traumatic factors.

Despite its significant impact, effective treatments for osteoarthritis that address its underlying causes are still lacking, focusing mainly on symptom management. Therefore, improving diagnostic and prognostic approaches is crucial to better understand its onset and progression.

MRI is a primary diagnostic tool for assessing the knee joint's pathophysiological state. It uses tissue-specific sequences to investigate joint homeostasis in detail, although it primarily provides insights into morphology, structure, and tissue composition rather than functional changes within the joint. This limitation is noteworthy because joint homeostasis involves complex interactions among biomechanical, structural, and biological processes, which are directly influenced by osteoarthritis.

Gait analysis provides valuable diagnostic information on joint function. By integrating sensor measurements and electronic systems with patient-specific musculoskeletal models derived from MRI morphometric data, it is possible to assess the forces and moments within the joint during specific movements.

Given that osteoarthritis affects the entire joint, employing multidisciplinary approaches can enhance diagnostic precision and provide insights into the progressive impact of degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis on joint health.

Enrollment

25 estimated patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 60 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Knee pain and/or loss of functionality
Kellgren-Lawrence grade less than or equal to 2
Arthroscopic evidence of cartilage tissue lesions
Evidence of cartilage and/or meniscal tissue degeneration and/or subchondral bone marrow lesions

Exclusion criteria

History/evidence of previous partial or total knee prosthesis interventions
Inability to provide informed consent
Conditions or physical disorders incompatible with the use of MRI and electrical stimulation (implanted active and passive biomedical devices, epilepsy, severe venous insufficiency in the lower limbs)