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UTE-T2 mapping demonstrates changes in cartilage deep tissue health
Ultrashort echo time-T2 mapping demonstrated changes in cartilage deep tissue health according to joint injury status, as well as a potential for healing deep tissues injuries through articular cartilage and menisci, according to study results.
The cohort study included 31 patients undergoing anatomic ACL reconstruction and 11 uninjured patients who underwent 3-T MRI, which included a sequence capturing short and ultrashort T2 signals. Researchers performed an arthroscopic examination of the medial meniscus, and Modified Outerbridge grades were then assigned to the central (cMFC) and posterior medial femoral condyles (pMFC) of the patients with reconstructed ACLs. Sixteen patients underwent the same 3-T MRI 2 years after ACL reconstruction.
The researchers generated ultrashort echo time (UTE)-T2 maps for the posterior medical meniscus (PMM), cMFC, pMFC and medial tibial plateau (MTP) and performed cross-sectional evaluations of UTE-T2 and arthroscopic data along with longitudinal analyses of UTE-T2 changes.
Study results showed 74% of ACL-reconstructed patients had intact cMFC cartilage, with Outerbridge grade zero to two in 90% of those patients.
The UTE-T2 values in deep cMFC and pMFC cartilage varied significantly based on injury status and arthroscopic grade, according to the researchers.
UTE-T2 differences were found between uninjured controls and patients with arthroscopic Outerbridge grade zero for the cMFC and arthroscopic Outerbridge grade one for the pMFC only. However, no differences were found individually between arthroscopic Outerbridge grade zero, one and two of patients who underwent ACL-reconstruction.
UTE-T2 values were 43% higher in deep cMFC cartilage and 46% higher in deep pMFC cartilage of ACL-reconstructed patients compared with uninjured controls.
Among patients with deep pMFC cartilage and pMM with clinically intact menisci, preoperative elevations in UTE-T2 decreased to levels similar to uninjured controls suggestive of healing, according to the researchers.
Patients with meniscus tears had no decrease in UTE-T2 values for the MFC, but the researchers saw new elevation in UTE-T2 values for the submediscus MTP.
Disclosure: The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health. Qian has a patent on the acquisition-weighted stack of spirals imaging method.