Magnetic resonance imaging of cartilage repair.

Magnetic resonance imaging is an important noninvasive modality in characterizing cartilage morphology, biochemistry, and function. It serves as a valuable objective outcome measure in diagnosing pathology at the time of initial injury, guiding surgical planning, and evaluating postsurgical repair. This article reviews the current literature addressing the recent advances in qualitative and quantitative magnetic resonance imaging techniques in the preoperative setting, and in patients who have undergone cartilage repair techniques such as microfracture, autologous cartilage transplantation, or osteochondral transplantation.