Rapid in vivo multicomponent T₂ mapping of human knee menisci

Abstract

Purpose To compare multicomponent T2 parameters of menisci measured using Multicomponent Driven Equilibrium Single Pulse Observation of T1 and T2 (mcDESPOT) in asymptomatic volunteers and osteoarthritis (OA) patients with intact and torn menisci. Materials and Methods The prospective study was performed with Institutional Review Board approval and with all subjects signing written informed consent. mcDESPOT was performed on the knee joint of 12 asymptomatic volunteers and 14 patients with knee OA. Single-component T2 relaxation time (T2Single), T2 relaxation time of the fast relaxing water component (T2F), and the slow relaxing water component (T2S), and fraction of the fast relaxing water component (FF) of the medial and lateral menisci were measured. Multivariate linear regression models were used to compare mcDESPOT parameters between normal menisci in asymptomatic volunteers, intact menisci in OA patients, and torn menisci in OA patients with adjustment for differences in age between subjects. Results The mean mcDESPOT parameters for normal menisci in asymptomatic volunteers, intact menisci in OA patients, and torn menisci in OA patients were respectively 16.1 msec, 18.8 msec, and 22.7 msec for T2Single; 9.0 msec, 10.0 msec, and 11.1 msec for T2F; 24.4 msec, 27.7 msec, and 31.4 msec for T2S; and 34%, 32%, 27% for FF. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in T2Single, T2F, T2S, and FF between the three groups of menisci. Conclusion The menisci of OA patients had significantly higher T2Single, T2F, and T2S and significantly lower FF than normal menisci in asymptomatic volunteers with greater changes in multicomponent T2 parameters noted in torn than intact menisci in OA patients.

Assessment of different fitting methods for in-vivo bi-component T2* analysis of human patellar tendon in magnetic resonance imaging

“…However, changes in T2 and T2* are nonspecific and can be caused by multiple factors including hydration, macromolecular content, and tissue anisotropy with comparable changes occurring in disparate settings [5][6][7][8][9] . Bi-component T2 and T2* mapping techniques have been used to improve the specificity of T2 analysis by assessing the individual water components of musculoskeletal tissues [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] . Bi-component T2 and T2* mapping methods have measured two distinct T2 components in cartilage assumed to represent short relaxing water bound to the macromolecular matrix and long relaxing bulk water [12][13][14]21,22 .…”

“…Bi-component T2 and T2* mapping methods have measured two distinct T2 components in cartilage assumed to represent short relaxing water bound to the macromolecular matrix and long relaxing bulk water [12][13][14]21,22 . Bi-component T2* mapping methods have been used in cortical bone to differentiate between water bound to the organic matrix and free water in the Haversian systems [15][16][17] , Bi-component T2 and T2* mapping methods have also been used in the meniscus to differentiate between macromolecular bound water and bulk water [18][19][20] . In tendon, recent studies using bi-component T2* mapping techniques have measured two distinct T2 components representing short relaxing water bound to the highly organized collagen fibers and long relax-…”

Multicomponent T2 analysis of articular cartilage with synovial fluid partial volume correction

“…An alternative method called Multicomponent Driven Equilibrium Single Pulse Observation (mcDESPOT) has recently been proposed to accelerate multicomponent T 2 analysis using rapid 3D steady‐state imaging . mcDESPOT can be used to characterize the fast‐ and slow‐relaxing water components of articular cartilage with complete anatomic coverage of the human knee joint at 3.0T in a clinically feasible scan time …”

Automated Image Analysis of High-field and Dynamic Musculoskeletal MRI

“…Subsequent quantitative measurements of the morphology (volume, subluxation and tibial coverage) and T 2 relaxation properties of the menisci derived from the automated segmentations were well correlated with those obtained from manual segmentations (r > 0.7). Proof of concept experiments investigating for differences in meniscal morphology and biochemistry (water mobility) across clinically relevant groups of patients (rOA/JSN severity, meniscal tear) showed patterns of significant differences in agreement with the literature [Blöcker 2013, Wenger 2013, Liu 2015.…”

“…Both the automated and manual methods distinguished similar patterns of differences in the prototype group comparisons. Namely, T 2 -mapping of the MM showed significantly higher T 2 -values in patients with meniscal tears, a pattern of difference which has been previously reported [Liu 2015]. The non-torn LM was characterised by a significantly higher T 2 -relaxation than the nontorn MM, which may be related to secondary early degeneration of the LM as a result altered loading mechanisms in ACL deficient knee joints [Feucht 2015].…”