Physicians should use near-infrared spectroscopy, or another method of objective measurement, for arthroscopic cartilage grading instead of relying on subjective grading for the best results, according to an article published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine.
Researchers studied patients undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery who were independently evaluated by four arthroscopists. Each observer estimated the cartilage lesions within the medial knee compartment using the ICRS grade and by the arthroscopic NIR spectroscopy probe.
Researchers found that the physicians using the ICRS grading had a poor inter-observer agreement. However, the NIR spectroscopy measurements of cartilage resulted in a significant correlation among the observers.
Read the abstract about near-infrared spectroscopy.
Read other coverage on sports medicine studies:
- Study: Gender Could Influence Likelihood of Dominant Leg ACL Injury
- Study: Young Patients May Not Need Surgery For a Torn ACL
- Study: High Tibial Osteotomy an Effective Treatment for Degenerative Arthritis of the Knee
Researchers studied patients undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery who were independently evaluated by four arthroscopists. Each observer estimated the cartilage lesions within the medial knee compartment using the ICRS grade and by the arthroscopic NIR spectroscopy probe.
Researchers found that the physicians using the ICRS grading had a poor inter-observer agreement. However, the NIR spectroscopy measurements of cartilage resulted in a significant correlation among the observers.
Read the abstract about near-infrared spectroscopy.
Read other coverage on sports medicine studies:
- Study: Gender Could Influence Likelihood of Dominant Leg ACL Injury
- Study: Young Patients May Not Need Surgery For a Torn ACL
- Study: High Tibial Osteotomy an Effective Treatment for Degenerative Arthritis of the Knee