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MR imaging of cartilage and its repair in the knee - a review

  • Musculoskeletal
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Abstract

Chondral injuries are common lesions of the knee joint, and many patients could benefit from cartilage repair. Widespread cartilage repair techniques require sophisticated noninvasive follow-up using MRI. In addition to the precise morphological assessment of this area of cartilage repair, the cartilage’s biochemical constitution can be determined using biochemical MRI techniques. The combination of the clinical outcome after cartilage repair together with the morphological and biochemical description of the cartilage repair tissue as well as the surrounding cartilage can lead to an optimal follow-up evaluation. The present article on MR imaging techniques of cartilage repair focuses on morphological description and scoring using techniques from conventional 2D through advanced isotropic 3D MRI sequences. Furthermore the ultrastructure of the repair tissue and the surrounding cartilage is evaluated in-vivo by biochemical T1-delayed gadolinium enhanced MRI of cartilage (dGEMRIC), T2 relaxation, and diffusion-weighted imaging techniques.

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Acknowledgements

Funding for this study was provided by Austrian Science Fund (FWF) FWF-TRP-Projekt L243-B15 and FWF project: P18110 B15.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MR Centre of Excellence, Department of Radiology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    S. Trattnig, S. Domayer & G. W. Welsch

  2. Department of Orthopedics, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    S. Domayer

  3. Department of Radiology and Orthopaedic Surgery, Penn State University, College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA

    T. Mosher

  4. Institute of Anatomy & Musculoskeletal Research, Paracelsus Medical University, Strubergasse 21, A5020, Salzburg, Austria

    F. Eckstein

  5. Chondrometrics GmbH, Ulrichshöglerstr. 23, 83404, Ainring, Germany

    F. Eckstein

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  1. S. Trattnig
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  2. S. Domayer
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  3. G. W. Welsch
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  4. T. Mosher
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  5. F. Eckstein
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Correspondence to S. Trattnig.

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Trattnig, S., Domayer, S., Welsch, G.W. et al. MR imaging of cartilage and its repair in the knee - a review. Eur Radiol 19, 1582–1594 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-009-1352-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-009-1352-3

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