title: Magnetic resonance imaging and histology of ovine hip joint cartilage in two age populations: a sheep model with assumed healthy cartilage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare morphologically normal appearing cartilage in two age groups with delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of cartilage (dGEMRIC) and correlate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings with histology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty femoral head specimens collected from ten lambs (group I) and ten young adult sheep (group II) underwent dGEMRIC and histological assessment. A region of 2 cm(2) with morphologically normal-appearing cartilage was marked with a surgical suture for subsequent matching of MRI and histological sections. The MRI protocol included a three-dimensional (3D) double-echo steady-state sequence for morphological cartilage assessment, a B1 pre-scan with various flip angles for B1 field heterogeneity correction, and 3D volumetric interpolated breathhold examination for T1(Gd) mapping (dGEMRIC). Histological analysis was performed according to the Mankin scoring system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 303 regions of interest (ROI; 101 MRI reformats matching 101 histological sections) was assessed. Twenty-six ROIs were excluded owing to morphologically apparent cartilage damage or insufficient MR image quality. Therefore, 277 ROIs were analyzed. Histological analyses revealed distinct degenerative changes in various cartilage samples of group II (young adult sheep). Corresponding T1(Gd) values were significantly lower in the group of sheep (mean T1(Gd) = 540.4 ms) compared with the group of lambs (mean T1(Gd) = 623.6 ms; p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although morphologically normal, distinct cartilage degeneration may be present in young adult sheep cartilage. dGEMRIC can reveal these changes and may be a tool for the assessment of early cartilage degeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Medical Faculty, University of Düsseldorf, Moorenstrasse 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany. Christoph.Zilkens@med.uni-duesseldorf.de
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zilkens
authors.forename: Falk R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Miese
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crumbiegel
authors.forename: Young-Jo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herten
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Antoch
authors.forename: Rüdiger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krauspe
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bittersohl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000473:pathology*; D005682:Gadolinium; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D023421:Models, Animal; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D005682:Gadolinium