2025 ISAKOS Congress in Munich, Germany

2025 ISAKOS Biennial Congress Paper


Juvenile Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Knee in a General Adolescent Population: Prevalence and Characteristics

Laura Kemmeren, Rotterdam NETHERLANDS
Edwin Oei, MD, PhD, Rotterdam NETHERLANDS
Tom M Piscaer, MD, PhD, Rotterdam NETHERLANDS
Denise Eygendaal, Prof., MD, PhD, Breda NETHERLANDS

Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, NETHERLANDS

FDA Status Not Applicable

Summary

In a general adolescent population, osteochondritis dissecans of the knee, is much more common on MRI than previously thought. In this study, we found a prevalence of 1 in 174 participants.

Abstract

Introduction

– The current prevalence of juvenile osteochondritis dissecans (JOCD) of the knee is estimated from those that sought medical help for their knee pain. However, in this study, we established a prevalence of JOCD of the knee in a general population on MRI.

Methods

- This study was part of an open population-based cohort study, the Generation R study, that focuses on health, growth and development from fetal life until adulthood. Between 2017 and 2020, adolescents aged 12 to 15 years underwent MRI of both knees. These MRIs were assessed in a standardized way for signs of JOCD in order to determine its prevalence in this cohort. The participant characteristics and presence of symptoms of those with and without JOCD were compared.

Results

– 1910 participants (median age 13 years, IQR 13.4-13.7, 52% girls) were included in this study. 370 (19.4%) participants had at least one abnormality. 13 JOCD lesions were found in 11 participants. This corresponds to a prevalence of 1 in 174 participants having a JOCD lesion. All 11 participants with JOCD were male, as opposed to 48.2% males in the entire group (p=0.03). One of the participants with JOCD experienced pain in their knee (9.1%), in comparison to 8.0% in the entire group (p=0.89).

Discussion

– The currently perceived prevalence of JOCD is around 9.5 per 100.000 children. In this general adolescent population, we found a much higher prevalence of 1 in 174 participants, suggesting that JOCD is more common than previously thought. In turn, this suggests that JOCD might occur asymptomatically more often than previously recognized.