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T2* mapping for articular cartilage assessment: principles, current applications, and future prospects

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Abstract

With advances in joint preservation surgery that are intended to alter the course of osteoarthritis by early intervention, accurate and reliable assessment of the cartilage status is critical. Biochemically sensitive MRI techniques can add robust biomarkers for disease onset and progression, and therefore, could be meaningful assessment tools for the diagnosis and follow-up of cartilage abnormalities. T2* mapping could be a good alternative because it would combine the benefits of biochemical cartilage evaluation with remarkable features including short imaging time and the ability of high-resolution three-dimensional cartilage evaluation—without the need for contrast media administration or special hardware. Several in vitro and in vivo studies, which have elaborated on the potential of cartilage T2* assessment in various cartilage disease patterns and grades of degeneration, have been reported. However, much remains to be understood and certain unresolved questions have become apparent with these studies that are crucial to the further application of this technique. This review summarizes the principles of the technique and current applications of T2* mapping for articular cartilage assessment. Limitations of recent studies are discussed and the potential implications for patient care are presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics Medical Faculty, University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Tobias Hesper, Daniela Bittersohl, Rüdiger Krauspe, Christoph Zilkens & Bernd Bittersohl

  2. Center of Hip Preservation and Children’s Orthopaedics, San Diego, CA, USA

    Harish S. Hosalkar

  3. MR Center, Department of Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Götz H. Welsch

  4. Department of Orthopaedics, Heinrich-Heine University, Medical School, Düsseldorf Moorenstrasse 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Bernd Bittersohl

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  1. Tobias Hesper
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  2. Harish S. Hosalkar
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Correspondence to Bernd Bittersohl.

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Hesper, T., Hosalkar, H.S., Bittersohl, D. et al. T2* mapping for articular cartilage assessment: principles, current applications, and future prospects. Skeletal Radiol 43, 1429–1445 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-014-1852-3

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