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T2 mapping of cartilage and menisci at 3T in healthy subjects with knee malalignment: initial experience

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Abstract

Purpose

To assess the relationship between knee alignment and T2 values of femorotibial cartilage and menisci in healthy subjects at 3 T.

Materials and methods

Thirty-six healthy subjects divided into three subgroups of 12 neutral, 12 varus, and 12 valgus alignment of the femorotibial joint were investigated on 3-T MR scanner using a 2D multi-echo turbo spin-echo (TSE) sequence for T2 mapping. Wilcoxon signed-rank test and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were performed to determine any statistically significant differences in subregional T2 values of femorotibial cartilage and menisci among the three subgroups of healthy subjects.

Results

Lateral femoral anterior cartilage subregion (52 ± 3 ms, mean ± standard deviation; 53 ± 2 ms) had significantly higher T2 values (p < 0.05) than medial femoral anterior cartilage subregion (51 ± 2 ms; 51 ± 2 ms) in varus and valgus groups, respectively. There were statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in T2 values of tibial central cartilage subregion between lateral and medical compartment among varus, valgus, and neutral subgroups. Lateral body segment of meniscus (41 ± 3 ms) had significantly higher (p < 0.05) T2 values than medial body segment (40 ± 2 ms) in the varus subgroup.

Conclusions

Some degree of correlation between knee alignment and subregional T2 values of femorotibial cartilage and menisci exists in healthy subjects. These findings indicate that T2 mapping may be sensitive in assessing the load distribution pattern of human cartilage and menisci with knee alignment abnormality, which may be used as reference baseline when understanding the occurrence and progression of knee osteoarthritis.

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Funding

This study was funded in part by Suzhou Bureau of Science and Technology, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China (Grant No.: sys2018058). This work was also partially supported by research grant K512801315 from the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars from the Ministry of Education, China. This research study was supported in part by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD), China, too. No separate funding was used specifically for this research work. The funding sources had no involvement in the study design, the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, the writing of the report, and the decision to submit the paper for publication.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Jiangtao Zhu and Ningfan Hu contributed equally to this work as first authors.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 1055 San Xiang Road, Suzhou, 215004, Jiangsu Province, China

    Jiangtao Zhu, Ningfan Hu & Xiaojing Li

  2. Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, 245 Burgundy Street, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia

    Xiaoyun Liang

  3. Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiological Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Bldg. 402, 199 Ren Ai Road, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu Province, China

    Jian Guan, Yajuan Wang & Ligong Wang

  4. School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Medical College of Soochow University, Bldg. 402, 199 Ren Ai Road, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu Province, China

    Jian Guan, Yajuan Wang & Ligong Wang

  5. School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Soochow University, Bldg. 402, 199 Ren Ai Road, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu Province, China

    Jian Guan, Yajuan Wang & Ligong Wang

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  1. Jiangtao Zhu
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Correspondence to Jiangtao Zhu.

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Zhu, J., Hu, N., Liang, X. et al. T2 mapping of cartilage and menisci at 3T in healthy subjects with knee malalignment: initial experience. Skeletal Radiol 48, 753–763 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-019-3164-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-019-3164-0

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