Effect of traction on wrist joint space and cartilage visibility with and without MR arthrography.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effect of traction during non-arthrographic and arthrographic MR examination of the wrist with regard to joint space width, joint fluid dispersion and cartilage surface visibility.


METHODS
Prospective 3-T MRI study of 100 wrists in 96 patients. The first 50 wrists underwent MR arthrography first without traction and then with traction. The following 50 wrists underwent standard MR first without traction and then with traction. On these examinations, two radiologists independently measured (i) joint space width, semi-quantitatively graded (ii) joint fluid dispersion between opposing cartilage surfaces and (iii) articular cartilage surface visibility. The three parameters were compared between the two groups.


RESULTS
Traction led to an increase in joint space width at nearly all joints in all patients (p < 0.05), although more so in the arthrography (∆ = 0.08-0.79 mm, all p < 0.05) than in the non-arthrography (∆ = 0.001-0.61 mm, all p < 0.05) group. Joint fluid dispersion and cartilage surface visibility improved after traction in nearly all joints (p < 0.05) in all patients and more so in the arthographic than in the non-arthrography group.


CONCLUSIONS
Traction did significantly improve cartilage surface visibility for standard MRI of the wrist although the effect was not as great as that seen with MR arthography or MR arthrography with traction. Advances in knowledge: This is the first study to show the beneficial effect of traction during standard non-arthrography MRI of the wrist and compare the effect of traction between non-arthrographic and arthrographic MRI of the wrist.
Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Ryan K L
RK
Lee
Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
James F
JF
Griffith
Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
W K
WK
Tang
Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Alex W H
AW
Ng
Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
David K W
DK
Yeung
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001175:Arthrography / Q000379:methods*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014143:Traction / Q000379:methods*; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055815:Young Adult