Comparison of biochemical cartilage imaging techniques at 3 T MRI

• Published in: Osteoarthritis and cartilage 2014-10, Vol.22 (10), p.1732-1742
• Main Authors: Rehnitz, C, Kupfer, J, Streich, N.A, Burkholder, I, Schmitt, B, Lauer, L, Kauczor, H.-U, Weber, M.-A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Cartilage; Cartilage Diseases - pathology; Cartilage, Articular - pathology; Case-Control Studies; Child; Contrast Media; Delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage (dGEMRIC); Female; Gadolinium DTPA; gagCEST (glycosaminoglycan chemical-exchange saturation-transfer); Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Knee joint; Knee Joint - pathology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Rheumatology; ROC Curve; T2 mapping; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1063-4584; 1522-9653
• DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2014.04.020

Summary Objective To prospectively compare chemical-exchange saturation-transfer (CEST) with delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage (dGEMRIC) and T2 mapping to assess the biochemical cartilage properties of the knee. Method Sixty-nine subjects were prospectively included (median age, 42 years; male/female = 32/37) in three cohorts: 10 healthy volunteers, 40 patients with clinically suspected cartilage lesions, and 19 patients about 1 year after microfracture therapy. T2 mapping, dGEMRIC, and CEST were performed at a 3 T MRI unit using a 15-channel knee coil. Parameter maps were evaluated using region-of-interest analysis of healthy cartilage, areas of chondromalacia and repair tissue. Differentiation of damaged from healthy cartilage was assessed using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results Chondromalacia grade 2–3 had significantly higher CEST values ( P  = 0.001), lower dGEMRIC (T1-) values ( P