Gorzolla Robert A J, Rolle Udo, Vogl Thomas J
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany.
Department of Paediatric Surgery and Paediatric Urology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany.
Diagnostics (Basel). 2023 Aug 24;13(17):2750. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics13172750.
The main aims of the study were the evaluation of stress-related effects (strenuous vs. non-strenuous sport vs. nonathletes) in stimulating or reducing influences on cartilage volume in the ankle joint and the evaluation of the image quality of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device with a field strength of 3.0 Tesla compared to one of 1.5 Tesla.
A total of 15 subjects (6 male, 9 female) aged 19-33 years participated voluntarily in this prospective study. The subjects were divided into three groups: high-performance athletes of the German Football Association (DFB) (football/soccer = strenuous sport), high-performance athletes of the German Swimming Association (DSV) (swimming = non-strenuous sport), and nonathletes. MRI was performed on both ankle joints of all subjects in the 1.5 T and 3.0 T MRI scanners using survey sequences, proton density sequences in the coronal and sagittal planes, and VIBE sequences. Using the images of both feet produced by VIBE sequences, the cartilages of the talus and tibia were manually circumscribed using a computer mouse in every third layer, and the volume was calculated. For qualitative assessment, blinded images were submitted to three radiologists with defined standards. The images were scored using a scale from 1 to 5.
Cartilage volume: The investigation and examination of the individual cartilage volumes by analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed no significant differences among the three groups. The effect intensities, as calculated by Cohen's d, were right tibia (Ti) = 2.5, left tibia (Ti) = 2.2, right talus (Ta) = 1.9, and left talus (Ta) = 1.6 in the strenuous sport versus nonstrenuous sport groups; Ti = 0.8, Ti = 1.2, Ta = 0.4, and Ta = 0.5 in the strenuous sport versus nonathlete groups; and Ti = 0.3, Ti = 0.2, Ta = 0.7, and Ta = 0.5 in the nonstrenuous sport versus nonathlete groups. Device comparison: In the investigation of each evaluated area on the 1.5 T and 3.0 T MR images by the Wilcoxon matched-pair test, significant differences were found for the cartilage-bone border (KKG = 0.002), cancellous bone (Sp = 0.001), medial ligamentous apparatus (mBa = 0.001), lateral ligamentous apparatus (lBa = 0.001), and adipose tissue (Fg = 0.002). Thus, there were significant differences in the assessment of the 1.5 T MRI and the 3.0 T MRI in all five evaluated areas.
The study showed no significant difference in the volume of hyaline articular cartilage in the upper ankle joint among the high-performance strenuous DFB athlete, high-performance non-strenuous DSV athlete, and nonathlete groups. The 3.0 Tesla device offers significant advantages in image quality compared to the 1.5 Tesla device.
本研究的主要目的是评估压力相关影响（剧烈运动与非剧烈运动对比非运动员）对踝关节软骨体积的刺激或减少作用，以及评估场强为3.0特斯拉的磁共振成像（MRI）设备与1.5特斯拉的MRI设备的图像质量。
共有15名年龄在19 - 33岁之间的受试者（6名男性，9名女性）自愿参与这项前瞻性研究。受试者被分为三组：德国足球协会（DFB）的高水平运动员（足球 = 剧烈运动）、德国游泳协会（DSV）的高水平运动员（游泳 = 非剧烈运动）和非运动员。使用扫描序列、冠状面和矢状面的质子密度序列以及VIBE序列，在1.5T和3.0T MRI扫描仪上对所有受试者的双踝关节进行MRI检查。利用VIBE序列生成的双足图像，每隔三层使用计算机鼠标手动勾勒距骨和胫骨的软骨轮廓，并计算体积。为进行定性评估，将盲法图像提交给三名具有明确标准的放射科医生。图像使用1至5分的量表进行评分。
软骨体积：通过方差分析（ANOVA）对个体软骨体积进行调查和检查，结果显示三组之间无显著差异。在剧烈运动组与非剧烈运动组中，经科恩d计算的效应强度分别为：右胫骨（Ti）= 2.5，左胫骨（Ti）= 2.2，右距骨（Ta）= 1.9，左距骨（Ta）= 1.6；在剧烈运动组与非运动员组中，Ti = 0.8，Ti = 1.2，Ta = 0.4，Ta = 0.5；在非剧烈运动组与非运动员组中，Ti = 0.3，Ti = 0.2，Ta = 0.7，Ta = 0.5。设备比较：通过威尔科克森配对检验对1.5T和3.0T MR图像上的每个评估区域进行调查，发现软骨 - 骨边界（KKG = 0.002）、松质骨（Sp = 0.001）、内侧韧带结构（mBa = 0.001）、外侧韧带结构（lBa = 0.001）和脂肪组织（Fg = 0.002）存在显著差异。因此，在所有五个评估区域中，1.5T MRI和3.0T MRI的评估存在显著差异。
该研究表明，DFB高水平剧烈运动运动员、DSV高水平非剧烈运动运动员和非运动员组的上踝关节透明关节软骨体积无显著差异。与1.5特斯拉设备相比，3.0特斯拉设备在图像质量方面具有显著优势。
