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Defining the presence of radiographic knee osteoarthritis: a comparison between the Kellgren and Lawrence system and OARSI atlas criteria

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

The Kellgren and Lawrence (K/L) system and Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) atlas are frequently used to define radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA). The purpose of the current study was to determine the extent to which tibiofemoral OA rates differ between the K/L system and OARSI atlas criteria and to compare qualitative (K/L and OARSI) and quantitative (millimetres) measures of joint space narrowing (JSN).

Methods

Posteroanterior radiographs of 1,178 knees, from 621 individuals with varying severity of OA, were graded by a trained physician with the K/L system (grade 0–4) and the OARSI atlas (osteophytes/JSN graded 0–3). Using the K/L system, the presence of OA was defined with the traditional cut-off of ≥grade 2 (definite osteophyte and possible JSN) and an alternative cut-off of at least a definite osteophyte alone (≥grade 2/osteophyte). For the OARSI atlas, OA was considered present if the sum of osteophytes or JSN ≥grade 2, or grade 1 JSN occurred in combination with grade 1 osteophyte. Minimum joint space width (mJSW) was measured manually in millimetres.

Results

According to the K/L system (≥grade 2), 167 knees (14.2 %) had tibiofemoral OA and 203 (17.3 %) had ≥grade 2/osteophyte. In contrast, 309 knees (26.2 %) had tibiofemoral OA according to OARSI atlas criteria. K/L and OARSI JSN descriptions were significantly associated with mJSW (p < 0.022).

Conclusions

Radiographic tibiofemoral OA was almost twice as common using OARSI atlas criteria compared with the K/L system. This discrepancy is likely to contribute to the large variability of OA prevalence observed in the literature and is important for clinicians to consider when diagnosing radiographic OA. The cut-off for defining radiographic knee OA using the two systems should not be considered comparable.

Level of evidence

III.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the participants and all researchers involved in the MUST, particularly Nina Østeras PT, PhD and the project leader Bård Natvig. The MUST is funded by the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority Osteoarthritis research group. AC was the recipient of the Felice Rosemary-Lloyd Travel Scholarship, and a Commonwealth Government of Australia Endeavour Travelling Research Fellowship Award to assist with travel and data collection in Norway. None of the sponsors had any involvement in the study, in manuscript preparation or the decision to publish the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

All authors declare no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Physiotherapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Adam G. Culvenor

  2. Department of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sports Science, Sognsvannsveien 220, 0806, Oslo, Norway

    Cathrine N. Engen & May Arna Risberg

  3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Norwegian Research Centre for Active Rehabilitation (NAR), Oslo University Hospital, Pb. 3843, Ullevål Stadion, 0805, Oslo, Norway

    Britt Elin Øiestad & May Arna Risberg

  4. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, Pb. 4950, Nydalen, 0424, Oslo, Norway

    Lars Engebretsen

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  1. Adam G. Culvenor
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Correspondence to Adam G. Culvenor.

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Culvenor, A.G., Engen, C.N., Øiestad, B.E. et al. Defining the presence of radiographic knee osteoarthritis: a comparison between the Kellgren and Lawrence system and OARSI atlas criteria. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 23, 3532–3539 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-014-3205-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-014-3205-0

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