Bone marrow lesions 'can help predict progression of joint disease'
A new UK study has demonstrated that lesions found in the bone marrow could be used to predict the progression of joint diseases. The University of Southampton's Medical Research Council (MRC) Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit has determined that these lesions, which can be seen clearly on MRI scans, could be monitored to help identify individuals who are more likely to suffer from more rapidly progressing osteoarthritis. This conclusion was based on data from the SEKOIA study, a major international osteoarthritis disease-modifying trial, which involved the use of MRI scans on the knees of 176 men and women over the age of 50, who were then followed up for an average of three years with repeated knee X-rays. Results published in the Journal of Rheumatology showed that individuals with bone marrow lesions on their MRI scan generally experienced more rapid osteoarthritis progression than those that did not. On average, the space within the joint is lost at a rate of 0.15 mm per year, yet individuals with signs of le