title: Assessment of cartilage repair after chondrocyte transplantation with a fibrin-hyaluronan matrix--correlation of morphological MRI, biochemical T2 mapping and clinical outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate change over time of clinical scores, morphological MRI of cartilage appearance and quantitative T2 values after implantation with BioCart™II, a second generation matrix-assisted implantation system.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one patients were recruited 6-49 months post surgery for cartilage defect in the femoral condyle. Subjects underwent MRI (morphological and T2-mapping sequences) and completed the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) questionnaire. MRI scans were scored using the MR Observation of Cartilage Repair Tissue (MOCART) system and cartilage T2-mapping values were registered. Analysis included correlation of IKDC scores, MOCART and T2 evaluation with each other, with implant age and with previous surgical intervention history.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IKDC score significantly correlated with MOCART score (r = -0.39, p = 0.031), inversely correlated with previous interventions (r = -0.39, p = 0.034) and was significantly higher in patients with longer follow-up time (p = 0.0028). MOCART score was slight, but not significantly higher in patients with longer term implants (p = 0.199). T2 values were significantly lower in patients with longer duration implants (p < 0.001). This trend was repeated in patients with previous interventions, although to a lesser extent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant improvement with time from BioCart™II implantation can be expected by IKDC scoring and MRI T2-mapping values. Patients with previous knee operations can also benefit from this procedure.
authors: Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Sheba Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. iris.eshed@sheba.health.gov.il
authors: Iris
authors: I
authors: Eshed
authors: Siegfried
authors: S
authors: Trattnig
authors: Michal
authors: M
authors: Sharon
authors: Ron
authors: R
authors: Arbel
authors: Gabriel
authors: G
authors: Nierenberg
authors: Eli
authors: E
authors: Konen
authors: Avner
authors: A
authors: Yayon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000637:transplantation*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005337:Fibrin; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
chemical_list: D005337:Fibrin; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid