title: Comparison of surface coil and knee coil for evaluation of the patellar cartilage by MR imaging.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, AZ Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, Jette 1090, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Den Steen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Maeseneer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoste
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vanderdood
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Ridder
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osteaux
mesh_terms: 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