Magnetic resonance imaging of the ankle at 3.0 Tesla and 1.5 Tesla in human cadaver specimens with artificially created lesions of cartilage and ligaments.
OBJECTIVE
To compare magnetic resonance imaging of the ankle joint at 1.5 Tesla (T) and 3.0 T in the assessment of cartilage and ligament pathology in fresh human cadaver specimens.


METHODS
The study was performed in line with institutional and legislative requirements; all donors had dedicated their body for educational and research purposes before death. Thirteen fresh human cadaver ankle joints were imaged at 1.5 T and 3.0 T using an optimized clinical ankle protocol consisting of T1-weighted (T1-w), fat-saturated (fs) T2-w, and short tau inversion recovery fast spinecho (FSE) sequences. For dedicated cartilage imaging, fs-intermediate (IM)-w FSE, fs-spoiled gradient echo, and balanced free precession steady state sequences were acquired. Artificial cartilage and ligament lesions were created in 6 and 5 specimens, respectively. MR imaging was repeated in those ankles. Four radiologists independently assessed pathology in all image datasets. Macroscopic findings after dissection served as a reference standard.


RESULTS
Sensitivities and ROC-values were higher at 3.0 T for detecting cartilage pathology (sensitivity up to 0.71 at 3.0 T vs. 0.49 at 1.5 T; AZ up to 0.88 vs. 0.74; both differences P < 0.05) and highest for the fs-IM FSE sequence at 3.0 T. Average sensitivity for detecting ligament pathology was higher at 3.0 T (0.69 vs. 0.50; P < 0.05). Specificity was high among all protocols and both field strengths for assessing ligament and cartilage pathology (>0.95).


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with 1.5-T imaging, the 3.0-T imaging of the ankle joint at improved diagnostic performance in assessing cartilage significantly and there was a higher sensitivity for assessing ligamentous pathology.
Bauer
Jan S
JS
Department of Radiology, Technical University, Munich, Germany. jsb@roe.med.tum.de
Barr
Cameron
C
Henning
Tobias D
TD
Malfair
David
D
Ma
C Benjamin
CB
Steinbach
Lynne
L
Link
Thomas M
TM
D000368:Aged; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D002102:Cadaver; D002356:Cartilage / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008022:Ligaments / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity