The rising incidence of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) poses a significant societal health burden and drives up medical care costs [1]. KOA progresses slowly and irreversibly across multiple structures, underscoring the need to improve our understanding of its pathogenesis and mechanisms [2]. Early identification of patients at risk of KOA onset and implementing proactive health strategies are crucial for comprehensive KOA management. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used to diagnose and ev…