title: Cationic Contrast Agent Diffusion Differs Between Cartilage and Meniscus.
abstract: Contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) is a non-destructive imaging technique used for the assessment of composition and structure of articular cartilage and meniscus. Due to structural and compositional differences between these tissues, diffusion and distribution of contrast agents may differ in cartilage and meniscus. The aim of this study is to determine the diffusion kinematics of a novel iodine based cationic contrast agent (CA(2+)) in cartilage and meniscus. Cylindrical cartilage and meniscus samples (d = 6 mm, h ≈ 2 mm) were harvested from healthy bovine knee joints (n = 10), immersed in isotonic cationic contrast agent (20 mgI/mL), and imaged using a micro-CT scanner at 26 time points up to 48 h. Subsequently, normalized X-ray attenuation and contrast agent diffusion flux, as well as water, collagen and proteoglycan (PG) contents in the tissues were determined. The contrast agent distributions within cartilage and meniscus were different. In addition, the normalized attenuation and diffusion flux were higher (p < 0.05) in cartilage. Based on these results, diffusion kinematics vary between cartilage and meniscus. These tissue specific variations can affect the interpretation of CECT images and should be considered when cartilage and meniscus are assessed simultaneously.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, University of Eastern Finland, POB 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland. juuso.honkanen@uef.fi.|Diagnostic Imaging Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland. juuso.honkanen@uef.fi.
authors.forename: Juuso T J
authors.initials: JTJ
authors.lastname: Honkanen
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, University of Eastern Finland, POB 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Mikael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Turunen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Freedman
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Medical Imaging, Physics and Technology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.|Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.|Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Simo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saarakkala
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Grinstaff
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Medical Biology, University of Umea, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Janne H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ylärinne
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, University of Eastern Finland, POB 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland.|Diagnostic Imaging Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Jukka S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jurvelin
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, University of Eastern Finland, POB 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland.|Diagnostic Imaging Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Juha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Töyräs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002356:Cartilage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002417:Cattle; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000072600:Meniscus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: Computed tomography; Contrast enhancement; Diffusion flux; Diffusion kinematics; Normalized attenuation