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Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the T 1 ρ and T 2 values and the progression of cartilage degeneration in patients of the same age group. Materials and methods Sagittal T 1 ρ and T 2 mapping and three-dimensional (3D) gradient-echo images were obtained from 78 subjects with medial knee osteoarthritis (OA). The degree of patella cartilage degeneration was classified into four groups using MRI-based grading: apparently normal cartilage, mild OA, moderate OA, and severe OA group. We measured the T 1 ρ and T 2 values (ms) in the regions of interest set on the full-thickness patella cartilage. Then, we analyzed the relationship between the T 1 ρ and T 2 values and the degree of patella cartilage degeneration. Results There were no significant differences in age among the four groups. Both the T 1 ρ and T 2 values showed a positive correlation with the degree of OA progression ( ρ = 0.737 and ρ = 0.632, respectively). By comparison between the apparently normal cartilage and the mild OA groups, there were significant differences in the T 1 ρ mapping, but not in the T 2 mapping. Conclusions Our study confirmed that T 1 ρ and T 2 mapping can quantitatively evaluate the degree of patella cartilage degeneration in patients within the same age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To study the effects of aging and cartilage degeneration of the proximal tibiofibular- and femorotibial joint (PTFJ, FTJ) on the cartilage of the PTFJ using T 1 ρ and T 2 mapping. Materials and methods: We performed sagittal T 1 ρ and T 2 mapping of the PTFJ and FTJ on 55 subjects with knee disorders. We placed 3 regions of interest (ROIs) on images of the cartilage in the PTFJ, medial femoral condyle (MFC), and medial tibia plateau (MTP). Correlation analysis was performed for the T 1 ρ and T 2 values of each ROI and the patient age and the osteoarthritic grade of the PTFJ and FTJ. Results: The T 1 ρ and T 2 values of the PTFJ were affected neither by aging nor the osteoarthritic grade of the FTJ. Values of the FTJ normalized to PTFJ values were correlated with the osteoarthritic grade of the FTJ in the MFC (r =0.851 and 0.779, respectively) and the MTP (r =0.635 and 0.762, respectively). There was a significant difference in the T 1 ρ but not the T 2 value of the PTFJ and MFC between normal and mildly osteoarthritic cartilage of each joint. Conclusion: We document that the T 1 ρ and T 2 values of PTFJ cartilage were not affected by aging or cartilage degeneration in the FTJ. The T 1 ρ value of the PTFJ may represent a useful internal standard reference for evaluating early degeneration of the FTJ. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]