6533b861fe1ef96bd12c5a67

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Magnetic resonance chondro-crassometry (MR CCM): a method for accurate determination of articular cartilage thickness?

Felix EcksteinStefan MilzBerthold KieferMaximilian F. ReiserErik SchulteReinhard PutzHarald SittekAntonia Gavazzeni

subject

AdultCartilage ArticularMaleMaterials scienceArticular cartilageNuclear magnetic resonanceReference ValuesmedicineImage Processing Computer-AssistedHumansRadiology Nuclear Medicine and imagingAgedAged 80 and overReproducibilityMeasurement methodmedicine.diagnostic_testAnthropometryCartilageReproducibility of ResultsMagnetic resonance imagingCartilage thicknessMiddle AgedMagnetic Resonance Imagingmedicine.anatomical_structureReference valuesFemaleMr imagesSoftware

description

A method for the assessment of articular cartilage thickness based on MRI is presented and its accuracy and reproducibility tested. Six specimens of human patellae were imaged, using a fat-suppressed FLASH 3D sequence, and sectioned with a high-precision band saw. The regional distribution of articular cartilage thickness was determined from the MR images and from the anatomical sections (intervals of 0.5 mm). With image analysis 50-90% of the image points were found to lie within exactly the same thickness interval in corresponding patterns, and less than 17% deviated more than 0.5 mm. More than 85% of all pixels were reproducible with MRI after new positioning of the joint. No influence of the read-out direction and no important differences between areas of thin and thick cartilage could be detected. The authors conclude that MR chondro-crassometry can provide accurate and reproducible information on cartilage thickness.

10.1002/mrm.1910350112https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8771026