title: Magnetic resonance imaging of the rabbit knee: detection of cartilage proteoglycan degradation.
abstract: Intra-articular (i.a.) injection of papain causes a reversible loss of proteoglycan in intact rabbit knees. Twelve rabbits were scanned with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 0, 24, 48 and 72 hours after 5 units of papain i.a. in a 1.5 Tesla Signa with a three inch surface coil using spin echo sequence. Total cartilage thickness in proton density images was 1.08 +/- 0.09 mm prior to papain injection. The magnetic resonance images showed a reduction in articular cartilage thickness in papain-treated rabbit femurs at 24 hours to 0.69 +/- 0.18 mm and partial restoration by 72 hours to 0.77 +/- 0.21 mm.
authors.affiliation: CIBA-GEIGY Corporation, Research Department, Summit, NJ 07901.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: O'Byrne
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Blancuzzi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gunson
authors.forename: J Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Mezrich
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Douglas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006614:Hindlimb; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010206:Papain; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D011509:Proteoglycans; D010206:Papain