Determining Metacarpophalangeal Flexion Angle Tolerance for Reliable Volumetric Joint Space Measurements by High-resolution Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography

J Rheumatol. 2016 Oct;43(10):1941-1944. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.160649.

Abstract

Objective: The position-dependence of a method to measure the joint space of metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) was studied.

Methods: Cadaveric MCP were imaged at 7 flexion angles between 0 and 30 degrees. The variability in reproducibility for mean, minimum, and maximum joint space widths and volume measurements was calculated for increasing degrees of flexion.

Results: Root mean square coefficient of variance values were < 5% under 20 degrees of flexion for mean, maximum, and volumetric joint spaces. Values for minimum joint space width were optimized under 10 degrees of flexion.

Conclusion: MCP joint space measurements should be acquired at < 10 degrees of flexion in longitudinal studies.

Keywords: HIGH-RESOLUTION PERIPHERAL QUANTITATIVE COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY; JOINT SPACE NARROWING; OSTEOARTHRITIS; RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Metacarpophalangeal Joint / diagnostic imaging*
  • Range of Motion, Articular / physiology*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*