QUEST 2
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Quantitative MR evaluation of subchondral sclerosis at the tibial plateau using ultrashort echo time (UTE) imaging
IRAS ID
154761
Contact name
Andoni Toms
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Research & Development Office
Research summary
Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has the ability to detect the earliest changes in osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee by providing high levels of detail on both bony and soft tissue structures. In doing so it may be able to identify individuals suitable for targeted preventative therapies to halt progression and possibly reverse the disease process. One of the hallmarks of OA of the knee is subchondral sclerosis. This represents bony remodelling in response to abnormal stress. MR has the potential to quantify subchondral sclerosis and identify its early stages. This has been demonstrated in animals, but not in humans.
The aim of this pilot study is to examine a single knee of 20 participants with MR. Participants will be drawn from two groups: (A) Healthy, young individuals and (B) middle-aged individuals with knee pain. Participants in group A will be recruited from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and junior doctors at the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital (NNUH). Participants in group B will be recruited from patients referred for knee MR from primary or secondary care.
We will quantify subchondral sclerosis in each individual using both conventional MR sequences and ultrashort echo time (UTE) imaging. This is a new technique allowing improved visualisation of the subchondral bone.
This study will allow us to determine whether the new technique is reliable and offers any improvement over conventional sequences, and whether we can demonstrate any differences between the groups.
MR quantification of subchondral sclerosis may be useful in identifying individuals who are likely to develop, or have the earliest stages of OA before any other changes are detectable, allowing us to intervene more effectively and produce better clinical outcomes.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/YH/1020
Date of REC Opinion
9 Jun 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion