title: Epiphyseal and physeal cartilage: normal gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging.
abstract: To evaluate the normal appearance of epiphyseal and physeal cartilage on Gadolinium (Gd)-enhanced MR imaging. The appearance and enhancement ratios of 20 proximal and distal femoral epiphyses in 10 normal piglets were analyzed on Gd-enhanced MR images. The correlation of the MR imaging appearance with corresponding histological findings of immature epiphyses was examined. Our results showed that Gd-enhanced MRI could differentiate the differences in enhancement between physeal and epiphyseal cartilage and show vascular canals within the epiphyseal cartilage. Enhanced ratios in the physeal were greater than those in the epiphyseal cartilage (P < 0.005). It is concluded that Gd-enhanced MR imaging reveals epiphyseal vascular canals and shows difference in enhancement of physeal and epiphyseal cartilage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Renfa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yonggang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Junwu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Anhui
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002356:Cartilage / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development; D005269:Femur / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D005682:Gadolinium; D006132:Growth Plate / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000254:growth & development; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature
chemical_list: D005682:Gadolinium