Relationship between knee alignment and T 1 ρ values of articular cartilage and menisci in patients with knee osteoarthritis

• Published in: European journal of radiology 2013, Vol.82 (11), p.1946-1952
• Main Authors: Wang, Ligong, Vieira, Renata La Rocca, Rybak, Leon D, Babb, James S, Chang, Gregory, Krasnokutsky, Svetlana, Abramson, Steven, Regatte, Ravinder
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Radiology
• ISSN: 0720-048X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2013.05.010

Abstract Objective To assess the relationship between knee alignment and subregional T 1 ρ values of the femorotibial cartilage and menisci in patients with mild (Kellgren–Lawrence grade 1) to moderate (KL3) osteoarthritis (OA) at 3 T. Materials and methods 26 subjects with a clinical diagnosis of KL1-3 OA were included and subdivided into three subgroups: varus, valgus, and neutral. All subjects were evaluated on a 3 T MR scanner. Mann–Whitney and Wilcoxon signed rank tests were performed to determine any statistically significant differences in subregional T 1 ρ values of femorotibial cartilage and menisci among the three subgroups of KL1-3 OA patients. Results Medial femoral anterior cartilage subregion in varus group had significantly higher ( p < 0.05) T 1 ρ values than all cartilage subregions in valgus group. Medial tibial central cartilage subregion had significantly higher T 1 ρ values ( p < 0.05) than lateral tibial central cartilage subregion in varus group. The posterior horn of the medial meniscus in neutral group had significantly higher T 1 ρ values ( p < 0.0029) than all meniscus subregions in valgus group. Conclusion There exists some degree of association between knee alignment and subregional T 1 ρ values of femorotibial cartilage and menisci in patients with clinical OA