MRI knee pathology
mmEffusion-synovitis, Cartilage defects
APPENDIX
An MRI scan of the “study” knee was acquired with a 1.5 T whole-body magnetic resonance unit (GE Optima 450 W, Milwaukee, USA) using a dedicated 8-channel knee coil at weeks 0 and 24. Image sequences included (1) a T1-weighted fat-saturated 3D gradient-recalled acquisition and (2) proton density fat-saturated 2D fast spin echo sequence. The parameters are described in Appendix BMLs were assessed on the proton density-weighted sequences and defined as areas of increased signal adjacent to the subcortical bone at the medial tibial (anterior and posterior), medial femoral (anterior and posterior), lateral tibial (anterior and posterior), lateral femoral (anterior and posterior), superior patella, and inferior patella sites, by measuring the maximum area of the lesion (mmEffusion-synovitis was defined as the presence of intra-articular fluid-equivalent signal on the proton density-weighted images. The volume of effusion-synovitis [Cartilage defects were assessed using a modified outer bridge system [Meniscal extrusions were scored separately at the anterior, middle, and posterior horns (medially/laterally). The intra- and inter-reader ICCs ranged from 0.85 to 0.92 for meniscal extrusions, as previously described [