ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: to investigate the quantitative X-ray manifestations of gonarthrosis in patients in different age groups. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The results of radiography, computed tomography, and 64-slice multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) were analyzed in 86 patients aged 18 to 70 years with arthrosis deformans of the knee. RESULTS: Knee radiographic anatomic changes in arthrosis deformans are accompanied by the characteristic rearrangement of the femoral and tibial condyles. Quantitative bone density changes appear as an overall decrease in the bone mineral density of the femoral and tibial condyles in 18-35-year-old patients with arthrosis deformans (p<0.05) and a relative increase in that of medial tibial condyles in patients older than 55/60 years, in those with genu varum in particular. CONCLUSION: In the patients with arthrosis deformans, the bone radio morphological changes detected by MDCT have a much wider range of qualitative and quantitative characteristics. The data on condylar bone density are directly related to a treatment choice. Data postprocessing using the current visualization programs of working stations identifies minor bone structural changes that are also of importance in solving the tactical problems of medical and surgical treatments.
