Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Department of Medical Imaging, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Eur Radiol. 2019 Aug;29(8):4514-4522. doi: 10.1007/s00330-018-5826-z. Epub 2019 Jan 7.
Our aim was to investigate the role of age, sex, and location on MR T2* values of the knee cartilage in asymptomatic controls and patients with osteoarthritis (OA).
A total of 100 participants, including 40 with OA and 60 asymptomatic controls, were enrolled in this study. Patients with OA were compared to age- (≥ 41 years old) and sex-matched controls. Controls were divided by age (aged 21-40 years, 41-60, ≥ 61). T2* values were acquired using a T2*-weighted fast gradient-echo sequence and a 1.5-T MRI scanner. T2* values of the femoral and tibial cartilages at the weight-bearing areas were obtained for comparisons.
The T2* values significantly increased with age and were significantly higher in the medial femoral cartilage (35.96 ± 4.06 and 31.85 ± 2.44 ms), medial tibial cartilage (30.95 ± 2.87 and 28.24 ± 1.74 ms), and lateral femoral cartilage (33.90 ± 3.15 and 31.51 ± 2.28 ms) in OA patients versus age- and sex-matched controls. Among OA patients, the T2* values for women exceed those in men in the medial femoral cartilage (37.59 ± 4.43 and 34.16 ± 2.63 ms) and medial tibial cartilage (32.17 ± 2.59 and 29.62 ± 2.53 ms; p < 0.01). Correlations were found between the Lequesne index and the T2* values for the medial femoral cartilage (r = 0.636, p < 0.001) and the medial tibial cartilage (r = 0.433, p = 0.005).
Cartilage T2* values tend to increase with age and are useful in assessing cartilage degeneration in early OA.
• Age, sex, and location have important effects on cartilage T2* values at the knee. • MR T2* measurements are useful toward assessing cartilage degeneration. • The medial femoral and tibial cartilage T2* values correlate well with disease severity.
本研究旨在探讨年龄、性别和部位对膝关节软骨磁共振 T2* 值的影响，研究对象为无症状对照者和骨关节炎（OA）患者。
本研究共纳入 100 名参与者，包括 40 名 OA 患者和 60 名无症状对照者。OA 患者与年龄（≥41 岁）和性别匹配的对照者进行比较。对照组按年龄（21-40 岁、41-60 岁、≥61 岁）进行分组。采用 T2*-加权快速梯度回波序列和 1.5-T MRI 扫描仪获取 T2* 值。比较负重区股骨和胫骨软骨的 T2* 值。
T2* 值随年龄增长而显著升高，OA 患者的内侧股骨软骨（35.96±4.06 和 31.85±2.44 ms）、内侧胫骨软骨（30.95±2.87 和 28.24±1.74 ms）和外侧股骨软骨（33.90±3.15 和 31.51±2.28 ms）的 T2* 值明显高于年龄和性别匹配的对照组。在 OA 患者中，女性的 T2* 值在内外侧股骨软骨（37.59±4.43 和 34.16±2.63 ms）和内外侧胫骨软骨（32.17±2.59 和 29.62±2.53 ms）均高于男性（p<0.01）。内侧股骨软骨（r=0.636，p<0.001）和内侧胫骨软骨（r=0.433，p=0.005）的 Lequesne 指数与 T2* 值之间存在相关性。
软骨 T2* 值随年龄增长而升高，可用于评估早期 OA 的软骨退变。
年龄、性别和部位对膝关节软骨 T2* 值有重要影响。
MR T2* 测量有助于评估软骨退变。
内外侧股骨和胫骨软骨 T2* 值与疾病严重程度相关性良好。
