scholarly journals Single- and Bicomponent Analyses of T2⁎ Relaxation in Knee Tendon and Ligament by Using 3D Ultrashort Echo Time Cones (UTE Cones) Magnetic Resonance Imaging

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Jin Liu ◽  
Amin Nazaran ◽  
Yajun Ma ◽  
Haimei Chen ◽  
Yanchun Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knee Joint ◽  
Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Free Water ◽  
Single Component ◽  
Exponential Fitting ◽  
Magic Angle ◽  
Three Dimension ◽  
Ultrashort Echo Time ◽  
Short T2 ◽  
Echo Time

The collagen density is not detected in the patellar tendon (PT), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in clinic. We assess the technical feasibility of three-dimension multiecho fat saturated ultrashort echo time cones (3D FS-UTE-Cones) acquisitions for single- and bicomponent T2⁎ analysis of bound and free water pools in PT, PCL, and ACL in clinic. The knees of five healthy volunteers and six knee joint samples from cadavers were scanned via 3D multiecho FS-UTE-Cones acquisitions on a clinical scanner. Single-component fitting of T2⁎M and bicomponent fitting of short T2⁎ (T2⁎S), long T2⁎ (T2⁎L), short T2⁎ fraction (Frac_S), and long T2⁎ fraction (Frac_L) were performed within tendons and ligaments. Our results showed that biexponential fitting was superior to single-exponential fitting in PT, PCL, and ACL. For knee joint samples, there was no statistical difference among all data in PT, PCL, and ACL. For volunteers, all parameters of bicomponent fitting were statistically different across PT, PCL, and ACL, except for T2⁎S, T2⁎L, and T2⁎M resulting in flawed measurements due to the magic angle effect. 3D multiecho FS-UTE-Cones acquisition allows high resolution T2⁎ mapping in PT, PCL, and ACL of keen joint samples and PT and PCL of volunteers. The T2⁎ values and their fractions can be characterized by bicomponent T2⁎ analysis that is superior to single-component T2⁎ analysis, except for ACL of volunteers.

Exponential subtraction in 3D ultrashort echo time imaging to visualize short T2 tissues in tibia

2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (6) ◽  
pp. 760-767
Author(s):  
Sha Li ◽  
Xinrui Huang ◽  
Guozhen Li ◽  
Yibao Zhang ◽  
Zhaotong Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Bone ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Regions Of Interest ◽  
Observer Agreement ◽  
Exponential Factor ◽  
Ultrashort Echo Time ◽  
Short T2 ◽  
Exponential Factors ◽  
Echo Time ◽  
Dual Echo

Background Short T2 tissues can be directly visualized by dual-echo ultrashort echo time imaging with weighted subtraction. As a type of post-processing method, exponential subtraction of ultrashort echo time images with an optimal exponential factor is expected to provide improved positive short T2 contrast. Purpose To test the feasibility and effectiveness of exponential subtraction in three-dimensional ultrashort echo time imaging and to determine the optimal exponential factor. Material and Methods A dual-echo three-dimensional ultrashort echo time sequence was implemented on a 3-T MRI system. Exponential subtraction was performed on dual three-dimensional ultrashort echo time images of the tibia of seven healthy volunteers with exponential factors in the range of 1.00–3.00 in increments of 0.01. The regions of interest, including cortical bone, marrow, and muscle, were depicted on subtracted images of different exponential factors. Contrast-to-noise ratio values were calculated from these regions of interest and then used to assess the optimal exponential factor. To determine intra-observer agreement regarding region of interest selection, paired intra-observer measurements of regions of interest in all direct subtraction images were conducted with a one-week interval and the paired measurements were assessed using Bland–Altman analysis and paired-samples t-test. Results Cortical bone can be better visualized by using exponential subtraction in three-dimensional ultrashort echo time imaging; the suggested optimal exponential factor is 1.99–2.03 in the tibia. Paired measurements showed excellent intra-observer agreement. Conclusion It is feasible to visualize cortical bone of the tibia using exponential subtraction in three-dimensional ultrashort echo time imaging. Compared with weighted subtraction images, exponential subtraction images with an optimal exponential factor provide enhanced visualization of short T2 tissues.

Detecting Articular Cartilage and Meniscus Deformation Effects Using Magnetization Transfer Ultrashort Echo Time (MT-UTE) Modeling during Mechanical Load Application: Ex Vivo Feasibility Study

Cartilage ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 194760352097677
Author(s):  
Saeed Jerban ◽  
Akhil Kasibhatla ◽  
Yajun Ma ◽  
Mei Wu ◽  
Yanjun Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Articular Cartilage ◽  
Mechanical Load ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Magnetization Transfer ◽  
Knee Joints ◽  
Loading Conditions ◽  
Ultrashort Echo Time ◽  
Short T2 ◽  
Echo Time ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Mri

Objective Ultrashort echo time (UTE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences have improved imaging of short T2 musculoskeletal (MSK) tissues. UTE-MRI combined with magnetization transfer modeling (UTE-MT) has demonstrated robust assessment of MSK tissues. This study aimed to investigate the variation of UTE-MT measures under mechanical loading in tibiofemoral cartilage and meniscus of cadaveric knee joints. Design Fourteen knee joints from young ( n = 8, 42 ± 12 years old) and elderly ( n = 6, 89 ± 4 years old) donors were scanned on a 3-T scanner under 3 loading conditions: load = 300 N (Load1), load = 500 N (Load2), and load = 0 N (Unload). UTE-MT sequences were performed at each loading condition. Macromolecular proton fraction (MMF) was calculated from UTE-MT modeling. Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to examine the MRI data differences between loading conditions. Results For young donors, MMF increased in all grouped regions of interest (meniscus [M], femoral articular cartilage [FAC], tibial articular cartilage [TAC], articular cartilage regions covered by meniscus [AC-MC], and articular cartilage regions uncovered by meniscus [AC-UC]) when the load increased from 300 to 500 N. The increases in MMF were significant for M (13.3%, P < 0.01) and AC-MC (9.2%, P = 0.04). MMF decreased in all studied regions after unloading, which was significant only for AC-MC (−8.9%, P = 0.01). For elderly donors, MRI parameters did not show significant changes by loading or unloading. Conclusion This study highlights the potential of the UTE-MT modeling combined with knee loading in differentiating between normal and abnormal knees. Average tissue deformation effects were likely higher and more uniformly distributed in the joints of young donors compared with elderly donors.

scholarly journals Ultrashort echo time (UTE) magnetic resonance imaging of the short T2 components in white matter of the brain using a clinical 3T scanner

NeuroImage ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 87 ◽  
pp. 32-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiang Du ◽  
Guolin Ma ◽  
Shihong Li ◽  
Michael Carl ◽  
Nikolaus M. Szeverenyi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Ultrashort Echo Time ◽  
Short T2 ◽  
Echo Time ◽  
The Brain

scholarly journals Short T2 contrast with three-dimensional ultrashort echo time imaging

2011 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 470-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiang Du ◽  
Mark Bydder ◽  
Atsushi M. Takahashi ◽  
Michael Carl ◽  
Christine B. Chung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Ultrashort Echo Time ◽  
Short T2 ◽  
Echo Time

scholarly journals Ultrashort echo time (UTE) imaging with bi-component analysis: Bound and free water evaluation of bovine cortical bone subject to sequential drying

Bone ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 749-755 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reni Biswas ◽  
Won Bae ◽  
Eric Diaz ◽  
Koichi Masuda ◽  
Christine B. Chung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Bone ◽  
Free Water ◽  
Component Analysis ◽  
Ultrashort Echo Time ◽  
Echo Time

Quantitative differentiation of tendon and ligament using magnetic resonance imaging ultrashort echo time T2* mapping of normal knee joint

2021 ◽  
pp. 028418512110438
Author(s):  
Miho Okuda ◽  
Satoshi Kobayashi ◽  
Kazu Toyooka ◽  
Rikuto Yoshimizu ◽  
Junsuke Nakase ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
T2 Mapping ◽  
Cruciate Ligament ◽  
Intraclass Correlation ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Ultrashort Echo Time ◽  
Normal Knee ◽  
Observer Reliability ◽  
Echo Time

Background Ligaments and tendons are difficult to differentiate on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Ligaments and tendons are different histologically, and tendon graft ligamentization is known to occur after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Purpose To quantify and differentiate the ultrashort echo time T2* (UTE-T2*) values of normal knee ligaments and tendons using a 1.5-T MRI scanner. Material and Methods The right knees of 12 healthy volunteers (6 men, 6 women; mean age = 30.8 ± 9.6 years) were scanned using a UTE-T2* sequence and the UTE-T2* values of the proximal, middle, and distal portions of the ACL, posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), and patellar tendon (PT) were evaluated. Two doctors manually drew the regions of interest four times and intra- and inter-observer reliability were evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficients. Results The UTE-T2* values of ACL at the proximal, middle, distal, and mean were 12.0 ± 2.3, 11.3 ± 2.3, 12.3 ± 2.6, and 11.9 ± 2.4 ms, respectively. The UTE-T2* values of the PCL at each site were 6.9 ± 1.5, 9.0 ± 1.8, 8.8 ± 2.4, and 8.3 ± 2.1 ms, respectively. The UTE-T2* values of the PT at each site were 7.1 ± 1.7, 4.3 ± 1.7, 4.3 ± 1.8, and 5.2 ± 2.1 ms, respectively. Both intra- and inter-observer reliability showed high agreement rates. There were significant differences among the ACL mean, PCL mean, and PT mean, with a P value <0.01 in all cases. Conclusion This study confirms that UTE-T2* mapping can quantify the ACL, PCL, and PT, and tendons and ligaments can be differentiated using the UTE-T2* values in normal volunteer knee joints.

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