title: Age-related quantitative MRI changes in healthy cartilage: preliminary results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  As the early form of OA is characterized by elevated water content in the cartilage tissue, the purpose of this study was to verify in vivo if age-related changes in patellar cartilage in healthy volunteers can be detected using quantitative MRI with T2 mapping and volume measurement MRI methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty healthy volunteers of various classes of age (18 to 65 years old) were enrolled in this study. MR images of the patellar cartilage were acquired at 1.5T. Patellar cartilage volume and T2 maps were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite non-significance, there was a trend in reducing cartilage volume with ageing (r: -0.25). In contrast global T2 slightly increased with ageing (r: 0.46). BMI (r: 0.51) and bone volume (r: 0.69) are well correlated to cartilage volume. CONCLUSION. Age-related physiologic changes in the water content of patellar cartilage can be detected using MRI. The proposed T2-mapping method, coupled with other non-invasive MR cartilage imaging techniques, could aid in the early diagnosis of OA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculté de Médecine, UMR 7561 CNRS University Nancy I, Avenue de la Forêt de Haye, 54505 Vandoeuvre lès Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Jean Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Goebel
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watrin-Pinzano
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bettembourg-Brault
authors.forename: Freddy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Odille
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Felblinger
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chary-Valckenaere
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Netter
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gillet
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loeuille
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010329:Patella / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology