Correlation between μCT imaging, histology and functional capacity of the osteoarthritic knee in the rat model of osteoarthritis

Table 3 Zonal analysis of subchondral bone and articular cartilage covering the medial tibial plateau

Parameter	Unit	Zone	SHAM	MMT	% difference
Bone volume	mm³	z1	0.37 ± 0.03	0.46 ± 0.05**	24.4↑
		z2	0.42 ± 0.02	0.49 ± 0.04**	16.7↑
		z3	0.45 ± 0.04	0.47 ± 0.04	4.4↑
		z1	1003.79 ± 14.52	980.10 ± 16.80	2.4↔
Bone mineral density	g/cm²	z2	1020.19 ± 17.80	1031.94 ± 7.56	1.1↔
		z3	984.21 ± 24.53	978.70 ± 11.51	0.6↔
		z1	0.12 ± 0.02	0.19 ± 0.06*	58.3↑
Cartilage volume	mm³	z2	0.20 ± 0.02	0.11 ± 0.04**	45.0↓
		z3	0.19 ± 0.04	0.23 ± 0.04*	21.1↑
		z1	0.14 ± 0.02	0.18 ± 0.06*	28.6↑
Cartilage thickness	mm	z2	0.23 ± 0.02	0.15 ± 0.04**	34.8↓
Cartilage thickness	mm	z3	0.23 ± 0.04	0.20 ± 0.03	12.1↓
Osteophyte		z1	None	Large

The subchondral bone and articular cartilage were divided into 3 zones; Zone 1 (z1) was placed on the outside of the medial edge of the joint, and Zone 3 (z3) was placed on the inside (central) of the tibial plateau, adjacent to the central collateral ligaments. There were also large osteophytes present in Zone 1 in the MMT rats
* p < 0.05 or ** p < 0.001 relative to sham rats

ISSN: 1479-5876