title: Evaluation of the relationship between T1ρ and T2 values and patella cartilage degeneration in patients of the same age group.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the T1ρ and T2 values and the progression of cartilage degeneration in patients of the same age group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sagittal T1ρ and T2 mapping and three-dimensional (3D) gradient-echo images were obtained from 78 subjects with medial knee osteoarthritis (OA). The degree of patella cartilage degeneration was classified into four groups using MRI-based grading: apparently normal cartilage, mild OA, moderate OA, and severe OA group. We measured the T1ρ and T2 values (ms) in the regions of interest set on the full-thickness patella cartilage. Then, we analyzed the relationship between the T1ρ and T2 values and the degree of patella cartilage degeneration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in age among the four groups. Both the T1ρ and T2 values showed a positive correlation with the degree of OA progression (ρ=0.737 and ρ=0.632, respectively). By comparison between the apparently normal cartilage and the mild OA groups, there were significant differences in the T1ρ mapping, but not in the T2 mapping.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study confirmed that T1ρ and T2 mapping can quantitatively evaluate the degree of patella cartilage degeneration in patients within the same age group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan. Electronic address: kinuhnishiok@fc.kuh.kumamoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishioka
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobukazu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oka
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taniwaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mizuta
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000473:pathology*; D010329:Patella / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Aging; MRI; Osteoarthritis; Patella cartilage; T1ρ mapping; T2 mapping