Table II.
The CEμCT grading criteria of OA. The detailed description of the grading criteria is presented in Appendix I
| OA μCT grading system in OC plugs (v.1.0) | |
|---|---|
| A. AC surface | B. AC – zone 1 |
| Surface structure (continuity) | Cellularity |
| Smooth and continuous (0) | Normal (0) |
| Slightly discontinuous (1) | Diffuse hypercellular (1) |
| Moderately discontinuous (2) | Cloning/clustering (2) |
| Severely discontinuous (3) | Hypocellular (3) |
|
Fibrillation(s) Absent (0) Few (1) Several (2) Fissure(s) Absent (0) Present (1) Fibrous tissue Absent (0) Present (1) |
|
| C. AC – zone 2 | D. AC – zone 3 |
| Cellularity | Cellularity |
| Normal (0) | Normal (0) |
| Diffuse hypercellular (1) | Diffuse hypercellular (1) |
| Cloning/clustering (2) | Cloning/clustering (2) |
| Hypocellular (3) | Hypocellular (3) |
| ECM | ECM |
| Normal (0) | Normal (0) |
| Slightly disorganized (1) | Slightly disorganized (1) |
| Moderately disorganized (2) | Moderately disorganized (2) |
| Severely disorganized (3) | Severely disorganized (3) |
| Fissure(s) | Fissure(s) |
| Absent (0) | Absent (0) |
| Present only Z2 upper half (1) | Present only Z3 upper half (1) |
| Present up to Z2 lower half (2) | Present up to Z3 lower half (2) |
| Fibrous tissue | Fibrous tissue |
| Absent (0) | Absent (0) |
| Present – focal area (1) | Present – focal area (1) |
| Present – throughout (2) | Present – throughout (2) |
| E. AC – zone 4 | F. Tidemark |
| ECM | Present – only one (0) |
| Normal (0) | Multiple (1) |
| Slightly disorganized (1) | |
| Moderately disorganized (2) | G. SB evaluation |
| Severely disorganized (3) | Subchondral sclerosis |
| Vascular infiltration | None (0) |
| No vascularization (0) | Mild (1) |
| Mild vascularization (1) | Moderate (2) |
| Moderate vascularization (2) | Severe (3) |
| Severe vascularization (3) | |
| Fibrous tissue | |
| Absent (0) | |
| Present – focal area (1) | |
| Present – throughout (2) | |