Quantitative Evaluation of the Infrapatellar Fat Pad in Knee Osteoarthritis: MRI-based Radiomic Signature
Overview
Physiology
Authors
Affiliations
Background: The infrapatellar fat pad (IFP) may have bilateral influence on knee osteoarthritis (KOA). IFP evaluation may be a key contributor to the diagnostic and clinical management of KOA. Few studies have evaluated KOA-related IFP alteration with radiomics. We investigated radiomic signature for the assessment of IFP for KOA progression in older adults.
Methods: A total of 164 knees were enrolled and grouped based on Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) scoring. MRI-based radiomic features were calculated from IFP segmentation. The radiomic signature was developed using the most predictive subset of features and the machine-learning algorithm with minimum relative standard deviation. KOA severity and structure abnormality were assessed using a modified whole-organ magnetic resonance imaging score (WORMS). The performance of the radiomic signature was evaluated and the correlation with WORMS assessments was analyzed.
Results: The area under the curve of the radiomic signature for diagnosing KOA was 0.83 and 0.78 in the training and test datasets, respectively. Rad-scores were 0.41 and 2.01 for the training dataset in the groups with and without KOA (P < 0.001) and 0.63 and 2.31 for the test dataset (P = 0.005), respectively. WORMS significantly and positively correlated with rad-scores.
Conclusions: The radiomic signature may be a reliable biomarker to detect IFP abnormality of KOA. Radiomic alterations in IFP were associated with severity and knee structural abnormalities of KOA in older adults.
Zeng J, Liang D, Tang G Cartilage. 2025; :19476035251320747.
PMID: 39981646 PMC: 11846089. DOI: 10.1177/19476035251320747.
Progress in multi-omics studies of osteoarthritis.
Wei Y, Qian H, Zhang X, Wang J, Yan H, Xiao N Biomark Res. 2025; 13(1):26.
PMID: 39934890 PMC: 11817798. DOI: 10.1186/s40364-025-00732-y.
Chen J, Xu H, Zhou H, Wang Z, Li W, Guo J Front Surg. 2024; 11:1387351.
PMID: 39345660 PMC: 11427760. DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2024.1387351.
Li X, Chen W, Liu D, Chen P, Li P, Li F Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2024; 12:1368188.
PMID: 38933540 PMC: 11199411. DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1368188.
Radiomics signature of osteoarthritis: Current status and perspective.
Jiang T, Lau S, Zhang J, Chan L, Wang W, Chan P J Orthop Translat. 2024; 45:100-106.
PMID: 38524869 PMC: 10958157. DOI: 10.1016/j.jot.2023.10.003.