T2 Mapping Sequence in the Assessment of Articular Cartilage of Knee Joint. Is There Added Value?

Background: Cartilage mapping using Magnetic Resonance Imaging T2 is a functional scanning procedure without invasion delivering cartography of the cartilage T2 relaxation time without using of any contrast. It is tissue anisotropy sensitive, and compositional data on the collagen network of cartilage, content of water and concentration of proteoglycans are provided by it. This study used MR scanning technique to assess the T2 mapping sequence role in diagnosis of articular cartilage lesions of knee joint. Patients and Methods: This prospective trial was done to utilize sagittal T2 mapping sequence for assessment of articular cartilage of knee joint on 1.5 T MR. The material of this study included thirty (30) patients. The study included 24/30 cases presented by knee pain, 6/30 cases presented by knee pain following trauma, 10/30 cases presented by limitation of movement and 7/30 cases presented by knee swelling. As each patient had a single conventional MRI examination of the knee followed by a single sagittal T2 maps, 30 MRI examinations and 30 corresponding T2 maps were analyzed. Results: The addition of sagittal T2 maps to standard views improved accuracy in diagnosing cartilage affection in early osteoarthritis. there are 69 (57.5%) lesions diagnosed as grade 0 by MRI only VS 24 (20%) lesions diagnosed as grade 0 by MRI with T2 mapping sequence and 34 (28.3%) lesions diagnosed as grade 1 by MRI only VS 77 (64.2%) lesions diagnosed as grade 1 by MRI with T2 mapping sequence. there is 46 (38.3%) lesions diagnosed as grade 1a by MRI with T2 mapping sequence which diagnosed grade 0 by MRI only. Conclusions: This imaging plane seems to provide a useful addition to standard MR imaging when osteoarthritis is suspected specially among the young population.

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Advanced compositional imaging T2 mapping sequence in detection of stages of medial knee joint compartments articular cartilage degeneration

Egyptian Journal of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine ◽

10.1186/s43055-020-00395-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 52 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Nevien Ezzat El-Liethy ◽

Heba Ahmed Kamal

Keyword(s):

Articular Cartilage ◽

Knee Pain ◽

T2 Mapping ◽

Cartilage Damage ◽

Cartilage Degeneration ◽

Control Group ◽

Medial Knee ◽

Cartilage Lesions ◽

Mapping Sequence ◽

Age Range

Abstract Background The predictive value of the new imaging sequences, especially T2 mapping in assessment of articular cartilage abnormalities of the medial knee compartments in patients with medial knee pain. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the additional value of T2 mapping over using a baseline standard knee MRI to detect cartilage lesions of the medial compartments in patients representing with medial knee pain. Results The study included 60 patients presented with medial knee pain, where divided into two groups ; control group (20 volunteers) with age range from 19 to 41 years old 26.80 ± 8.05 (mean ± SD) and patients (40 candidates) with age range from 13 to 57 years old with a mean age 33.00 ± 14.1 (mean ± SD). Conclusion On adding T2 mapping sequence to the routine MRI of the knee, the sensitivity for detecting knee cartilage lesions was increased, especially in the detection of early cartilage degeneration at the medial compartment. Compositional MR imaging including T2 mapping plays an important role in the assessment of early and potentially reversible cartilage damage especially among the young population.

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