Mapping IRM T2 pour une meilleure évaluation du cartilage acétabulaire dans le conflit fémoro-acétabulaire : à propos d’un cas avec correlation arthroscopique

Articular cartilage assessment in femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is challenging. Recent studies on T2* relaxation time mapping suggest the technique may be useful in diagnosing cartilage damage. The purpose of this case report is to describe how quantitative T2*-mapping may improve cartilage assessment of the acetabulum in patients with FAI. MR arthrography was performed at 3 Tesla (T) using intra-articular Gadolinium and a T2* mapping protocol. Data from the acetabular cartilage were separated from femoral head cartilage data and then superimposed on a flattened, map-projection representation of the patient's acetabulum. The areas of unhealthy cartilage observed at the time of arthroscopy – including debonding and delamination – were seen preoperatively at the same anatomic locations as areas of decreased T2* values. T2* mapping values provided a non-invasive assessment of the acetabular articular cartilage. A flattened acetabular map projection allowed for anatomic visualization of areas of unhealthy cartilage. Level of evidence Level IV.