Symptoms of Osteochondritis Dissecans
With osteochondritis dissecans, children may:
- Have pain when they move or put weight on their leg
- Hear a “clunking” sound in their knee when they bend it
- Feel their knee catch or give way
- Feel that something is moving around inside the affected joint
Osteochondritis Dissecans Diagnosis
When you and your child come to our clinic, we ask about pain:
- How bad is it?
- When did it begin?
- How has it affected your child’s activities?
Then the doctor will examine your child’s joint. We may take a radiograph. This helps us see if the joint surface appears rough or if a fragment of bone seems to be separating.
We may ask your child to have an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan. This lets us look at the cartilage on the surface of the joint and check for fluid between the bone and cartilage. Both can slow healing.
The doctor also may ask for a bone scan to see whether your child’s body is trying to heal the OCD.
All of these imaging tests can help doctors, patients and their families decide on the best treatment.