The Updated Role of Ultrasound in the Assessment of Knee Osteoarthritis

Abstract

The knee joint is one of the most important joints in the human body responsible for weight-bearing and a group of complex movements during ordinary life activities In patients with clinical suspicion of knee osteoarthritis, Osteoarthritis of the knee is the most common cause of rheumatic knee disorder (being a weight-baring joint). KOA is a chronic, debilitating joint disease characterized by degenerative changes in the bones, cartilage, menisci, ligaments, and synovial tissues and is therefore considered a disease of the whole jointand a frequent health problem in the community causing pain and disability which significantly affect the quality of life.. The clinical history and physical examinations are fundamental in cases of KOA. However, the reliability of physical assessment of the knee has been found to be only moderate in many cases. Standard radiography shows changes in bony structures but it is not able to demonstrate the early alterations of articular cartilage, to show the presence of effusion and to evaluate the conditions of periarticular soft tissues. Early detection of KOA is necessary to maintain the activities of daily living, furthermore, detection and treatment of