Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Diagnosis of Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common orthopaedic problem in cats and dogs. As it can be congenital, the OA commonly results from hip dysplasia, osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), ununited anconeal process, fragmented coronoid process (FPC), ruptured ligamentum cruciatum anterior (LCA), meniscal disorders and patellar luxation. Although the diagnosis and assessment of OA can be performed based on the clinical signs, physical examination and radiography, but the radiography could not show the early cartilage damages. Early diagnosis of the OA is very important to ensure the success of treatment. So, the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) becomes an important diagnostic imaging technique, because it is possible to detect the cartilage degeneration due to the OA at microscopic level. The MRI techniques used widely by medical physicians have recently been getting involved in small animals practice as well. In this review, it is intended to summarize the literature on the MRI usage for diagnosis of the OA and to share the data with our colleagues.