Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Comparative Study
. 2009 Jul;27(6):779-84.
doi: 10.1016/j.mri.2009.01.016. Epub 2009 Mar 9.

Comparison of quantitative imaging of cartilage for osteoarthritis: T2, T1rho, dGEMRIC and contrast-enhanced computed tomography

Carmen Taylor  1 , Julio Carballido-Gamio, Sharmila Majumdar, Xiaojuan Li
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Comparison of quantitative imaging of cartilage for osteoarthritis: T2, T1rho, dGEMRIC and contrast-enhanced computed tomography

Carmen Taylor et al. Magn Reson Imaging. 2009 Jul.

Abstract

Evaluation of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) concentration in articular cartilage is of particular interest to the study of degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis (OA). Noninvasive imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) have demonstrated the potential to assess biochemical markers of cartilage integrity such as GAG content; however, many imaging techniques are available and the optimization of particular techniques in the diagnosis of joint disease remains an active area of research. In order to highlight the differences between these various approaches, this work compares MRI (T1, T2 and T1rho) and contrast-enhanced CT in human articular cartilage, in both the presence and absence of gadolinium-based contrast agent. Pre- and postcontrast T2 values were found to be similar on a regional level and correlated with each other. As expected, T1 values were shortened significantly on both a global and a spatial basis in the presence of gadolinium (Gd); similar results were found for T1rho. T2 values were found to correlate mildly with postcontrast T1, T1(Gd) and with precontrast T1rho values. In addition, contrast-enhanced CT values correlated with both precontrast T1rho and T1(Gd) more strongly than with precontrast T2. Finally, T1(Gd) and precontrast T1rho were found to be moderately correlated with CT data. However, T1(Gd) and precontrast T1rho were found to be almost completely uncorrelated. Together, these results indicate that T1rho, T2 and contrast-enhanced techniques may provide complementary information about the molecular environment in cartilage during the evolution of OA.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Sample image data showing SPGR, T1(Gd), T2, T1ρ, and CT values for a single specimen. SPGR and CT images are shown at the left and right. Colormaps for T1(Gd), T2, T1ρ, and CT data are shown overlaid on the SPGR grayscale image in the center.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mean T1(Gd), T2, and T1ρ, in the presence and absence of 1mM Gd. ** indicates p<0.005.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Altman R, Fries J, Bloch D. Radiographic assessment of progression in osteoarthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 1987;30:11. - PubMed
    1. Rogers J, Watt, Dieppe P. A comparison of the visual and radiographic detection of bony changes at the knee joint. BMJ. 1990;300:367–368. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Chan WP, et al. Osteoarthritis of the knee: comparison of radiography, CT, and MR imaging to assess extent and severity. Ajr Am J Roentgenol. 1991;157(4):799–806. - PubMed
    1. Dijkgraaf LC, et al. The structure biochemistry, and metabolism of osteoarthritic cartilage: a review of the literature. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 1995;53(10):1182–1192. - PubMed
    1. Bashir A, et al. Glycosaminoglycan in articular cartilage: in vivo assessment with delayed Gd DTPA 2- -enhanced MR imaging. Radiology. 1997;2052:551–558. - PubMed

Publication types