[Assessment with magnetic resonance of cartilage injuries of the knee with tridimensional techniques with fat suppression].
MR studies of chondral injuries of the knee are performed to obtain a high C/N ratio between the articular cartilage and such other structures as subchondral bone, intraarticular fat pad and synovial fluid. This goal has been achieved with the 3D SPGR fat-suppressed technique. This kind of sequence yields high spatial contrast resolution because of its contiguous thin (1.5 mm) slices and high contrast resolution between the hyaline cartilage, which is strongly hyperintense, and the surrounding structures (fat, synovial fluid, subchondral bone) which appear hypointense. From September, 1994, to February, 1995, we submitted to MRI 34 patients, adding the 3D fat-suppressed technique after the routine sequences. These volumetric sections were obtained to image the tibiofemoral joint cartilage in 15 patients and to study the patellofemoral compartment in 19 patients. Chondral injuries were graded according to Beguin and Locker classification and MR results were compared with arthroscopic findings. 3D SPGR fat-suppressed sequences permitted accurate chondral thickness evaluation and the depiction of cartilage injuries, especially in advanced injuries (stages 3 and 4). However, in earlier stages, this MR technique tends to overestimate globular hypointense areas in normal thickness cartilage. This MR pattern needs a close correlation with clinical findings and should be interpreted according to the presence/absence of other associated intraarticular injuries.
Ginolfi
F
F
Istituto di Scienze Radiologiche, Università degli Studi Federico II, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Napoli.
Cusati
B
B
Rotondo
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged