Diagnosis of loosening after knee arthroplasty

Background Aseptic loosening is one of the most common reasons for revision in knee arthroplasty. Its pathogenesis is multifactorial, and early diagnosis is necessary to initiate appropriate therapy and to avoid serious complications, such as substantial bone loss or even periprosthetic fractures. Objectives This paper describes the current standard in the diagnosis of aseptic loosening in total knee arthroplasty. Sensitivity and specificity of the individual diagnostic procedures are presented, and other causes for differential diagnoses of painful total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are discussed. Results In the case of suspected loosening in TKA, infection diagnostics should be performed to rule out periprosthetic infection, as this is crucial in terms of surgical strategy. The gold standard in diagnosing aseptic loosening is conventional radiography. Radiolucent lines at the cement-bone or metal-cement interface of more than 2 mm or increasing in translucency, migration of components, and cement fractures are obvious signs of loosening. Artifact-reduced computed tomography can bring additional information regarding periprosthetic osteolysis. A single bone scan is not reliable in diagnosing aseptic loosening, especially in the first 2 years after surgery. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT-CT) could be a useful extension in loosening diagnosis in the future. Conclusions The diagnosis of aseptic loosening poses a great challenge to the treating physician and requires a structured diagnostic algorithm. After exclusion of infection, conventional radiography is the basic examination, which should be supplemented by computed tomography and nuclear medicine examinations according to the clinical symptoms and the time course.