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Subchondral bone and cartilage thickness from MRI: effects of chemical-shift artifact

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Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the modality of choice for visualizing and quantifying articular cartilage thickness. However, difficulties persist in MRI of subchondral bone using spoiled gradient-echo (SPGR) and other gradient-echo sequences, primarily due to the effects of chemical-shift artifact. Fat-suppression techniques are often used to reduce these artifacts, but they prevent measurement of bone thickness. In this report, we assess the magnitude of chemical-shift effects (phase-cancellation and misregistration artifacts) on subchondral bone and cartilage thickness measurements in human femoral heads using a variety of pulse sequence parameters. Phase-cancellation effects were quantified by comparing measurements from in-phase images (TE=13.5 ms) to out-of-phase images (TE=15.8 ms). We also tested the assumption of the optimal in-phase TE by comparing thickness measures at small variations on TE (13.0, 13.5 and 14.0 ms). Misregistration effects were quantified by comparing measurements from water+fat images (water-only+fat-only images) to the measurements from in-phase (TE=13.5) images. A correction algorithm was developed and applied to the in-phase measurements and then compared to measurements from water+fat images. We also compared thickness measurements at different image resolutions. Results showed that both phase-cancellation artifact and misregistration artifact were significant for bone thickness measurement, but not for cartilage thickness measurement. Using an in-phase TE and correction algorithm for misregistration artifact, the errors in bone thickness relative to water+fat images were non-significant. This information may be useful for developing pulse sequences for optimal imaging of both cartilage and subchondral bone.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dov Goldvasser, MscE, and Michael Treat, BS, for assistance with developing and testing the MRI protocols, and Michael S. Puniello, MS, PT, for assistance with preparing specimens. This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01 AR45278).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics, Biomotion Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Ruth Sleeper Hall 010, 40 Parkman St., Boston, MA , 02114, USA

    Chris A. McGibbon

  2. Department of Radiology, Bone and Joint Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA , 02114, USA

    Jenny Bencardino & William E. Palmer

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  1. Chris A. McGibbon
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  2. Jenny Bencardino
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  3. William E. Palmer
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Correspondence to Chris A. McGibbon.

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McGibbon, C.A., Bencardino, J. & Palmer, W.E. Subchondral bone and cartilage thickness from MRI: effects of chemical-shift artifact. MAGMA 16, 1–9 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-003-0001-0

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