Comparison of surface coil and knee coil for evaluation of the patellar cartilage by MR imaging.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this work was to compare the knee coil and the surface coil for the visualisation of the patellar cartilage.


METHODS
In 28 patients (17 women, 11 men) with an average age of 40 years (range 14-76) with knee pain MR was performed. Transverse images were obtained using a fast spin echo proton density weighted sequence on a Philips Gyroscan Intera 1.5 T clinical system. Transverse images were obtained at the level of the patellar cartilage using both the surface and the knee coil. All images were evaluated by consensus of two radiologists. They evaluated a number of quality criteria on a 4-point scale. Criteria for artefacts were also graded on a 4-point scale.


RESULTS
For the visualisation of fluid there was no significant difference between the knee coil and the surface coil (P=0.021). For all other criteria regarding image quality and presence of imaging artefacts there was a significant difference between both coils (P<0.001) with the surface coil obtaining the better result.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of the surface coil in the visualisation of the patellar cartilage can be recommended at knee MR.
Van Den Steen
M
M
Department of Radiology, AZ Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, Jette 1090, Belgium.
De Maeseneer
M
M
Hoste
M
M
Vanderdood
K
K
De Ridder
F
F
Osteaux
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000175:diagnosis; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric