T2 relaxation time and delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage (dGEMRIC) of human patellar cartilage at 1.5 T and 9.4 T: Relationships with tissue mechanical properties

✍ Scribed by E. Lammentausta; P. Kiviranta; M.J. Nissi; M.S. Laasanen; I. Kiviranta; M.T. Nieminen; J.S. Jurvelin

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 241 KB
• Volume: 24
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0736-0266
• DOI: 10.1002/jor.20041

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques have been developed for noninvasive assessment of the structure of articular cartilage. T~2~ relaxation time is sensitive to the integrity and orientation of the collagen network, while T~1~ relaxation time in presence of Gd‐DTPA^2−^ (dGEMRIC) reflects the proteoglycan content of cartilage. In the present study, human patellar cartilage samples were investigated in vitro to determine the ability of MRI parameters to reveal topographical variations and to predict mechanical properties of cartilage at two different field strengths. T~2~ and dGEMRIC measurements at 1.5 T and 9.4 T were correlated with the static and dynamic compressive moduli at six anatomical locations of the patellar surface. Statistically significant linear correlations were observed between MRI and mechanical parameters at both field strengths, especially between T~2~ and Young's modulus. No significant difference was found between the T~2~ measurements at different field strengths in predicting mechanical properties of the tissue. Topographical variation of T~2~ values at both field strengths was similar to that of Young's moduli. The current results demonstrate the feasibility of quantitative MRI, particularly T~2~ mapping, to reflect the mechanical properties of human patellar cartilage at both field strengths. © 2005 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 24:366–374, 2006