The distribution of cartilage thickness within the joints of the lower limb of elderly individuals

The objective of this study was to investigate the normal distribution of cartilage thickness in the major joints of the lower limb in elderly individuals. A 12.5 MHz ultrasound transducer was used to measure the cartilage thickness in the right and left hip, knee and ankle joint of 10 individuals aged between 62 and 99 y. Distribution patterns of cartilage thickness were derived by b-spline interpolation and the average distribution computed in each surface. The maximum cartilage thickness in the hip joint was 2.6 (±0.36) mm and the mean thickness 1.3 (±0.17) mm. The CV% (a measure of thickness inhomogeneity within the joint surface) was 32%. In the knee, the maximal and mean values were 3.8 (±0.46) mm and 1.9 mm (±0.24) mm, respectively (CV%=34%), and in the ankle 1.7 (±0.25) mm and 1.0 (±0.16) mm (CV%=32%). Systematic differences existed between both sides in the knee, the distal femur showing a significantly greater thickness on the right. While the mean and maximal thicknesses were systematically higher in the knee than in the hip, and in the hip higher than in the ankle ( P <0.05), there were no systematic differences in the thickness inhomogeneity of the 3 joints. Only the malleolus showed a somewhat more uniform thickness than the other joint surfaces. The variablity between individuals was similar for all joints for mean thickness, but the interindividual variability of the maximal thickness values was highest in the knee and lowest in the ankle. Whereas the cartilage thickness distributions in the joints of the lower limb have been suggested to reflect the pressure distribution within the articular surface, the absolute thickness is proposed to be a function of dynamic loading (range of motion) during gait, rather than being a reflection of the static articular pressure.