Cartilage as a Biomarker
Traditionally biomarkers have been defined as biochemical substances that in addition to disease diagnosis allow classification of disease severity, risk of onset and progression, as well as assessment of the efficacy of a treatment [1]. The meaning of th
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Thomas M. Link Editor
Cartilage Imaging Significance, Techniques, and New Developments
Editor Thomas M. Link Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging University of California at San Francisco San Francisco, CA USA [email protected]
ISBN 978-1-4419-8437-1 e-ISBN 978-1-4419-8438-8 DOI 10.1007/978-1-4419-8438-8 Springer New York Dordrecht Heidelberg London Library of Congress Control Number: 2011924334 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011 All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher (Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, USA), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden. The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights. While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of going to press, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)
Preface
One of the first systematic histological evaluations of the role of joint cartilage was published in 1843 by Ecker and was entitled “Ueber Abnuetzung und Zerstoerung des Gelenkknorpels” [1]. In 1942, Bennett et al. stated that degeneration of articular cartilage is the origin of osteoarthritis and that the degeneration is an inherent senescence of the cartilaginous tissue [2]. For many years, cartilage loss and degeneration were considered as inevitable, eventually leading to decrease in joint function, osteoarthritis, and immobility, with limited therapeutic options. Cartilage degeneration has been identified as a major threat to our aging society with substantial implications for health care and as a major socio-economic burden. Hence today, there is tremendous activity in developing strategies and treatments to prevent cartilage “Abnuetzung” (loss). These include injury prevention programs, cartilage repair, as well as oral and local treatments. While these therapies are clearly in their infancy, their development requires sensitive and reliable cartilage imaging and quantification techniques; these are indispensible to monitor the effects of new therapies and prevention strategies. Thus cartilage imaging gains a major and central role in the management of degenerative joint disease. The goal of this book was not simply to summarize currently available imaging techniques to
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