Evaluation of correlation between clinical and magnetic resonance imaging findings of patellar chondromalacia

Introduction: To evaluate the correlation between clinical appearance and magnetic resonance imaging features of chondromalacia that can determine the knee magnetic resonance indication and to define a novel chondral status indicator.Methods: This study was performed between May 2017 and February 2019.If the knee pain was suggestive for the presence of chondromalacia clinically, then VAS and Kujala AKPS were noted.For MRI evaluation, a patellar cartilage score (PCS) was defined to evaluate the mean patellar thickness (MPT) and MRI grading together.Results: Advanced chondromalacia was more common among females (p<0.01).There was a positive correlation between age and MRI grading and the correlation coefficient was calculated to be 0.56.The highest correlation coefficient obtained with PCS in comparing PCS, MCT (mean cartilage thickness) and MRI grading for the clinical relationship.To define advanced chondromalacia with VAS and AKPS cut-off values calculated to be 3 and 80 in ROC analysis.AKPS was a superior clinical indicator for advanced chondromalacia compared with VAS.The other demographic findings, such as age and gender relations, were concordant with the literature.Discussion and Conclusion: A potentially better method was defined to combine VAS with functional measurements, such as AKPS, to determine a knee status may be indicative of MRI evaluation.As a novel perspective, PCS was the best indicator of the chondral clinical status that consists of both the mean patellar thickness and magnetic resonance grading.