T2 and T2 mapping in patients after matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte transplantation: initial results on clinical use with 3.0-Tesla MRI

• Published in: European radiology 2010-06, Vol.20 (6), p.1515-1523
• Main Authors: Welsch, Goetz H., Trattnig, Siegfried, Hughes, Timothy, Quirbach, Sebastian, Olk, Alexander, Blanke, Matthias, Marlovits, Stefan, Mamisch, Tallal C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Bone surgery; Cartilage; Cartilage Diseases - diagnosis; Cartilage Diseases - surgery; Chondrocytes - pathology; Chondrocytes - transplantation; Diagnostic Radiology; Female; Humans; Imaging; Internal Medicine; Interventional Radiology; Knee; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Morphology; Musculoskeletal; Neuroradiology; Orthopedics; Patients; Prognosis; Radiology; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Trauma; Treatment Outcome; Ultrasound
• ISSN: 0938-7994; 1432-1084
• DOI: 10.1007/s00330-009-1669-y

Objectives To use T2 and T2* mapping in patients after matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT) of the knee, and to compare and correlate both methodologies. Methods 3.0-Tesla MRI was performed on 30 patients (34.6 ± 9.9 years) with a follow-up period of 28.1 ± 18.8 months after MACT. Multi-echo, spin-echo-based T2 mapping using six echoes and gradient-echo-based T2* mapping using six echoes were prepared. T2 and T2* maps were obtained using a pixel-wise, mono-exponential, non-negative least-squares fit analysis. Region-of-interest analysis was performed for mean (full-thickness) as well as deep and superficial aspects of the cartilage repair tissue and control cartilage sites. Results Mean T2 values (ms) were comparable for the control cartilage (53.4 ± 11.7) and the repair tissue (55.5 ± 11.6) ( p  > 0.05). Mean T2* values (ms) for control cartilage (30.9 ± 6.6) were significantly higher than those of the repair tissue (24.5 ± 8.1) ( p