BACKGROUND: No established, non-invasive diagnostic procedure for quantifying focal cartilage defects is currently available. OBJECTIVE: To test the accuracy of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) for reliable determination of cartilage defect size in various compartments of the human knee. METHODS: 24 tibial and patellar cartilage plates were harvested during knee arthroplasty. 74 cylindrical defects with diameters of 3, 5, and 8 mm were created with a punch. In 15 specimens (51 defects), the cartilage cylinders (inside the punch) were removed (approach 1), while in 9 specimens (23 defects) the surrounding tissue was removed mechanically and the cartilage cylinder was left in place (approach 2). All plates were imaged with a T(1) weighted water excitation gradient echo sequence at a resolution of 1.5 mm x 0.31 mm x 0.31 mm. The defect size was computed from the image data after interactive segmentation and compared with the known dimensions of the cylinders. RESULTS: Although there was a significant overestimation of the defect size by qMRI in 3 mm defects (mean (SD) +1.3 (0.58) mm = +/-42%; p<0.001), the overestimation was only +1.0 (0.57) mm (+/-21%; p<0.05) in 5 mm defects and +0.1 (0.39) mm (+/-4%; p = 0.31) in 8 mm defects (approach 1). Values were similar for approaches 1 and 2 and for patellar and tibial cartilage plates. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that qMRI allows accurate quantification of focal cartilage defects. It may therefore represent a valuable tool in the diagnosis of traumatic cartilage lesions, osteochondrosis dissecans, and osteochondral fractures, and in monitoring their responsiveness to surgical or other treatments.
BACKGROUND: No established, non-invasive diagnostic procedure for quantifying focal cartilage defects is currently available. OBJECTIVE: To test the accuracy of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) for reliable determination of cartilage defect size in various compartments of the human knee. METHODS: 24 tibial and patellar cartilage plates were harvested during knee arthroplasty. 74 cylindrical defects with diameters of 3, 5, and 8 mm were created with a punch. In 15 specimens (51 defects), the cartilage cylinders (inside the punch) were removed (approach 1), while in 9 specimens (23 defects) the surrounding tissue was removed mechanically and the cartilage cylinder was left in place (approach 2). All plates were imaged with a T(1) weighted water excitation gradient echo sequence at a resolution of 1.5 mm x 0.31 mm x 0.31 mm. The defect size was computed from the image data after interactive segmentation and compared with the known dimensions of the cylinders. RESULTS: Although there was a significant overestimation of the defect size by qMRI in 3 mm defects (mean (SD) +1.3 (0.58) mm = +/-42%; p<0.001), the overestimation was only +1.0 (0.57) mm (+/-21%; p<0.05) in 5 mm defects and +0.1 (0.39) mm (+/-4%; p = 0.31) in 8 mm defects (approach 1). Values were similar for approaches 1 and 2 and for patellar and tibial cartilage plates. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that qMRI allows accurate quantification of focal cartilage defects. It may therefore represent a valuable tool in the diagnosis of traumatic cartilage lesions, osteochondrosis dissecans, and osteochondral fractures, and in monitoring their responsiveness to surgical or other treatments.
Authors: C Glaser; S Faber; F Eckstein; H Fischer; V Springer; L Heudorfer; T Stammberger; K H Englmeier; M Reiser Journal: Magn Reson Imaging Date: 2001-02 Impact factor: 2.546
Authors: H Graichen; V Springer; T Flaman; T Stammberger; C Glaser; K H Englmeier; M Reiser; F Eckstein Journal: Osteoarthritis Cartilage Date: 2000-03 Impact factor: 6.576
Authors: Won C Bae; Melanie M Payanal; Albert C Chen; Nancy D Hsieh-Bonassera; Brooke L Ballard; Martin K Lotz; Richard D Coutts; William D Bugbee; Robert L Sah Journal: Cartilage Date: 2010-01 Impact factor: 4.634
Authors: D J Hunter; J Niu; Y Zhang; S Totterman; J Tamez; C Dabrowski; R Davies; M-P Hellio Le Graverand; M Luchi; Y Tymofyeyev; C R Beals Journal: Ann Rheum Dis Date: 2008-04-13 Impact factor: 19.103
Authors: A Pelissier; P Boyer; Y Boussetta; G Bierry; W Van Hille; P Hamon; J H Jaeger; P Massin Journal: Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc Date: 2013-02-08 Impact factor: 4.342
Authors: D J Hunter; L Li; Y Q Zhang; S Totterman; J Tamez; C K Kwoh; C B Eaton; M-P Hellio Le Graverand; C R Beals Journal: Osteoarthritis Cartilage Date: 2009-08-29 Impact factor: 6.576