title: Longitudinal evaluation of cartilage after osteochondral autogenous transfer with delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of the cartilage (dGEMRIC).
abstract: The aim was to use repeat delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of cartilage (dGEMRIC) to estimate glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content in reparative cartilage after osteochondral autogenous transfer (OAT). The study group comprised 7 knees of 7 patients that were examined three times by dGEMRIC, at 3, 6, and 12 months using a 1.5 Tesla MRI system in both OAT operated and nonoperated condyles at 90 min after the injection. The gadolinium diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA)(2-) containing contrast medium (0.2 mmols/kg) was injected intravenously. The mean T1 values of the plug cartilage at 3, 6, and 12 months after OAT was 230 ± 40, 213 ± 31, and 230 ± 23 ms (mean ± SD), respectively. There were differences between the plug and control cartilage at 3 (p < 0.01) and 12 (p < 0.05) months after OAT, but not at 6 months (p = 0.089). No T1 changes were detected between the plug cartilage at the different time points after OAT. The fact that the GAG content of the OAT plugs were maintained for 12-month study period suggest that no major deterioration of load-bearing properties occurs in the cartilage after the OAT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Kawahara-Cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Takaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shirai
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Ryuzo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Kohei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishitani
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Satake
authors.forename: Leif E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Dahlberg
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuroki
authors.forename: Yasuaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Tomohisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Togashi
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA