Computer-Aided Joint Space Analysis (CAJSA) of the Proximal-Interphalangeal Joint—Normative Age-Related and Gender Specific Data

Pfeil, Alexander; Böttcher, Joachim; Seidl, Bettina E.; Schäfer, Max L.; Hansch, Andreas; Heyne, Jens-Peter; Petrovitch, Alexander; Mentzel, H.-J.; Eidner, Thorsten; Wolf, Gunter; Hein, Gert; Kaiser, Werner A.

doi:10.1016/j.acra.2007.01.032

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Volume 14, Issue 5 , Pages 594-602, May 2007

Computer-Aided Joint Space Analysis (CAJSA) of the Proximal-Interphalangeal Joint—Normative Age-Related and Gender Specific Data

Alexander Pfeil, MD
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany
- Address correspondence to: A.P.
Joachim Böttcher, MD
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany
Bettina E. Seidl
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany
Max L. Schäfer
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany
Andreas Hansch, MD
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany
Jens-Peter Heyne, MD
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany
Alexander Petrovitch, MD
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany
H.-J. Mentzel, MD
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany
Thorsten Eidner, MD
- Clinic of Internal Medicine III, Department of Rheumatology and Osteology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany.
Gunter Wolf, MD
- Clinic of Internal Medicine III, Department of Rheumatology and Osteology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany.
Gert Hein, MD
- Clinic of Internal Medicine III, Department of Rheumatology and Osteology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany.
Werner A. Kaiser, MD, MS
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany

Received 19 December 2006; accepted 29 January 2007.

Rationale and Objectives

To provide reference data for computer-aided joint space analysis (CAJSA) based on a semiautomated and computer-aided diagnostic system for the measurement of joint space widths (ie, proximal-interphalangeal joint), considering gender-specific and age-related differences.

Materials and Methods

A total of 869 subjects were enrolled (351 females/518 males) with radiographs of the hand. All participants underwent measurements of joint space distances at the proximal-interphalangeal articulation (JSD-PIP) of the second to fifth finger using CAJSA technology.

Results

The data verify a notable age-related decrease of CAJSA parameters, showing an accentuated age-related joint space narrowing in women. Additionally, males showed a significant wider JSD-PIP (+15.4%) compared with the female cohort for all age groups.

Conclusions

Our data present gender-specific and age-related normative reference values for computer-aided joint space analysis of JSD-PIP and provide a valid and reliable quantification of disease-related joint space narrowing, particularly in patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis involving the peripheral small hand joints.

Key Words: Computer-aided joint space analysis, joint space width, proximal interphalangeal articulation, reference value, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis