QUANTIFICATION OF CORTICAL AND CARTILAGE THICKNESS IN THE PROXIMAL TIBIA OF OSTEOARTHRITIS PATIENTS USING MICRO-COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY

Due to the increasing life expectancy the incidence of gonarthrosis, the degeneration of articular cartilage and bone in the knee joint, is increasing worldwide. Although the success rate of knee arthroplasties is high, complications like the loosening of the implant necessitate subsequent treatments. Moreover, the morphology and microstructure of the knee joint varies considerably between patients, therefore the anatomical expertise of orthopedic surgeons is essential. In this analysis we therefore investigate the variation and micro-architectural alterations in subchondral bone in osteoarthritis (OA) patients undergoing a knee replacement surgery. We investigate OA bone degenerations using clinical X-rays and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). Tibial bone samples are collected from 100 patients undergoing a total knee arthroplasty at the Klinikum Wels-Grieskirchen. Images are obtained using an industrial micro-CT scanner RayScan 250E. Microstructural parameters include bone volume fraction and cortic...