Diagnostic value of ultrasonography in knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is the most expected diagnosis for an arthropathy that causes discomfort and disability in older adults. Radiography is frequently used to assess patients with KOA and there have been few prior research evaluating the diagnostic efficacy of ultrasonography (US). The current study sought to assess the diagnostic efficacy of the US in identifying various characteristics of KOA in the scientific literature.

This study was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses statement. A systematic search in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase databases was completed in March 2023. This study focused on the diagnostic value of US in KOA, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. The quality assessment was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools.

Out of 552 records of database searches, finally, two studies met this systematic review's eligibility criteria and were included in the study. Both of the included studies were cross sectional studies. US demonstrated remarkable sensitivity with adequate specificity for the detection of radiographic knee OA; however, it was found not to be an appropriate method for the detection of early KOA.

This study as the first systematic review aims to evaluate the diagnostic performance of US in detecting KOA. These findings shed light on the importance of investigating the different US features in the evaluation of KOA to reach appropriate sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis.