title: MR imaging of patellar cartilage degeneration at 0.02 T. Study of 23 cadaveric patellae.
abstract: MR imaging with a 0.02 T resistive magnet was used to establish the correlation between the histologic grading of patellar cartilage degeneration and fat water separation images or T1- and T2-relaxation times. We examined 23 cadaveric patellae. There was a positive correlation between histologically graded cartilage degeneration and T1-relaxation time. Patellar cartilage was well differentiated from surrounding structures on chemical shift water proton images, and an evaluation of cartilage degeneration was possible. No correlation was found between cartilage damage and T2-relaxation time. Chemical shift imaging at 0.02 T is easy to perform and gives further information of cartilage disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Turku University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Koskinen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Komu
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Aho
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kormano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010329:Patella / Q000473:pathology*