Cartilage T2 assessment: differentiation of normal hyaline cartilage and reparative tissue after arthroscopic cartilage repair in equine subjects.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
The research conducted sought to distinguish between normal hyaline cartilage and reparative tissue in equine subjects who underwent arthroscopic cartilage repair, using T2 mapping characteristics. The study found that both qualitative and quantitative T2 mapping successfully differentiated between the two types of cartilage during 1.5-T MR imaging.
Objective
The primary objective was to evaluate T2 mapping characteristics of normal articular cartilage and those of cartilage at sites of arthroscopic repair. This exploration involved a comparison of these characteristics with histologic results and collagen organization assessed at polarized light microscopy (PLM).
Methodology
- The study was conducted in line with the Canadian Council on Animal Care Guidelines and had the approval of the institutional animal care committee.
- Orthroscopic osteochondral autograft transplantation (OAT) and microfracture arthroplasty (MFx) were performed on the knees of 10 equine subjects, aged between 3-5 years.
- Each joint had a site of arthroscopically normal cartilage, which served as a control site.
- The joints were harvested at 12 (n = 5) and 24 (n = 5) weeks postoperatively, and imaged at 1.5-T magnetic resonance (MR) with a 10-echo sagittal fast spin-echo acquisition.
- T2 maps of each site were calculated, and categorized as either “organized” or “disorganized”.
- Quantitative mean T2 values were calculated for the deep, middle, and superficial cartilage at each location.
Results
- Out of 53 sites, 20 were qualitatively graded as organized and 33 were classified as disorganized.
- There was perfect agreement between organized T2 and histologic findings of hyaline cartilage, as well as disorganized T2 and histologic findings of fibrous reparative tissue.
- A strong agreement was observed between organized T2 and normal PLM findings and between disorganized T2 and abnormal PLM findings.
- Quantitative assessment of cartilage revealed mean T2 values of 53.3, 58.6, and 54.9 msec at reparative fibrous tissue sites and 40.7, 53.6, and 61.6 msec at hyaline cartilage sites.
- Significant trends of increasing T2 values from deep to superficial were found in hyaline cartilage, while fibrous tissue sites showed no significant change with depth.
Conclusions
The study concluded that both qualitative and quantitative T2 mapping effectively helped in differentiating hyaline cartilage from reparative fibrocartilage post cartilage repair during 1.5-T MR imaging.
Cite This Article
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Medical Imaging, Mount Sinai Hospital and the University Health Network, University of Toronto, 600 University Ave, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1X5. lwhite@mtsinai.on.ca
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Arthroscopy
- Female
- Horses
- Hyaline Cartilage / anatomy & histology
- Hyaline Cartilage / pathology
- Hyaline Cartilage / surgery
- Knee Joint / anatomy & histology
- Knee Joint / pathology
- Knee Joint / surgery
- Least-Squares Analysis
- Linear Models
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
- Male
- Prospective Studies
- Weight-Bearing
Citations
This article has been cited 65 times.- Cao G, Gao S, Xiong B. Application of quantitative T1, T2 and T2* mapping magnetic resonance imaging in cartilage degeneration of the shoulder joint. Sci Rep 2023 Mar 20;13(1):4558.
- Ewertowski NP, Schleich C, Abrar DB, Hosalkar HS, Bittersohl B. Automated measurement of alpha angle on 3D-magnetic resonance imaging in femoroacetabular impingement hips: a pilot study. J Orthop Surg Res 2022 Jul 30;17(1):370.
- Song Y, Jorgensen C. Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Osteoarthritis: Evidence for Structural Benefit and Cartilage Repair. Biomedicines 2022 May 30;10(6).
- Iida K, Hashimoto Y, Nishida Y, Yamasaki S, Nakamura H. Evaluation of regenerated cartilage using T2 mapping methods after opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy with microfracture at the cartilage defect: a preliminary study. J Exp Orthop 2021 Oct 16;8(1):91.
- Dai X, Fang J, Wang S, Luo J, Xiong Y, Zhang M, Zhu S, Yu X. Short- to Midterm Clinical and Radiological Outcomes After Matrix-Associated Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation for Chondral Defects in Knees. Orthop J Sports Med 2021 Feb;9(2):2325967120982139.
- Shimomura K, Hamada H, Hart DA, Ando W, Nishii T, Trattnig S, Nehrer S, Nakamura N. Histological Analysis of Cartilage Defects Repaired with an Autologous Human Stem Cell Construct 48 Weeks Postimplantation Reveals Structural Details Not Detected by T2-Mapping MRI. Cartilage 2021 Dec;13(1_suppl):694S-706S.
- de Abreu MR. Imaging assessment of surgical repair of knee cartilage. Radiol Bras 2020 Jul-Aug;53(4):IX.
- DeFroda SF, ODonnell RM, Fadale PD, Owens BD, Fleming BC. The role of magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating postoperative ACL reconstruction healing and graft mechanical properties: a new criterion for return to play?. Phys Sportsmed 2021 May;49(2):123-129.
- Schreiner MM, Raudner M, Szomolanyi P, Ohel K, Ben-Zur L, Juras V, Mlynarik V, Windhager R, Trattnig S. Chondral and Osteochondral Femoral Cartilage Lesions Treated with GelrinC: Significant Improvement of Radiological Outcome Over Time and Zonal Variation of the Repair Tissue Based on T(2) Mapping at 24 Months. Cartilage 2021 Dec;13(1_suppl):604S-616S.
- Aydın M, Yorubulut M, Başarır K, Arıkan M, Binnet MS. Matrix induced autologous chondrocyte implantation in the knee: Comparison between osteochondritis dissecans and osteonecrosis and effect of chondrocyte thickness on prognosis. Acta Orthop Traumatol Turc 2020 Jan;54(1):66-73.
- Anz AW, Edison J, Denney TS, Branch EA, Walz CR, Brock KV, Goodlett MD. 3-T MRI mapping is a valid in vivo method of quantitatively evaluating the anterior cruciate ligament: rater reliability and comparison across age. Skeletal Radiol 2020 Mar;49(3):443-452.
- de Mello R, Ma Y, Ji Y, Du J, Chang EY. Quantitative MRI Musculoskeletal Techniques: An Update. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2019 Sep;213(3):524-533.
- Olivos Meza A, Cortés González S, Ferniza Garza JJ, Pérez Jiménez FJ, Enrique VC, Ibarra C. Arthroscopic Treatment of Patellar and Trochlear Cartilage Lesions with Matrix Encapsulated Chondrocyte Implantation versus Microfracture: Quantitative Assessment with MRI T2-Mapping and MOCART at 4-Year Follow-up. Cartilage 2021 Jul;12(3):320-332.
- Solheim E, Hegna J, Inderhaug E. Long-Term Survival after Microfracture and Mosaicplasty for Knee Articular Cartilage Repair: A Comparative Study Between Two Treatments Cohorts. Cartilage 2020 Jan;11(1):71-76.
- Mars M, Chelli M, Tbini Z, Ladeb F, Gharbi S. MRI T2 Mapping of Knee Articular Cartilage Using Different Acquisition Sequences and Calculation Methods at 1.5 Tesla. Med Princ Pract 2018;27(5):443-450.
- Shoji T, Yamasaki T, Izumi S, Sawa M, Akiyama Y, Yasunaga Y, Adachi N. Evaluation of articular cartilage following rotational acetabular osteotomy for hip dysplasia using T2 mapping MRI. Skeletal Radiol 2018 Nov;47(11):1467-1474.
- Schreiner MM, Mlynarik V, Zbýň Š, Szomolanyi P, Apprich S, Windhager R, Trattnig S. New Technology in Imaging Cartilage of the Ankle. Cartilage 2017 Jan;8(1):31-41.
- Gomoll AH, Angele P, Condello V, Madonna V, Madry H, Randelli P, Shabshin N, Verdonk P, Verdonk R. Load distribution in early osteoarthritis. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2016 Jun;24(6):1815-25.
- Méthot S, Changoor A, Tran-Khanh N, Hoemann CD, Stanish WD, Restrepo A, Shive MS, Buschmann MD. Osteochondral Biopsy Analysis Demonstrates That BST-CarGel Treatment Improves Structural and Cellular Characteristics of Cartilage Repair Tissue Compared With Microfracture. Cartilage 2016 Jan;7(1):16-28.
- Li H, Qian J, Chen J, Zhong K, Chen S. Osteochondral repair with synovial membrane‑derived mesenchymal stem cells. Mol Med Rep 2016 Mar;13(3):2071-7.
- van Bergen CJ, Gerards RM, Opdam KT, Terra MP, Kerkhoffs GM. Diagnosing, planning and evaluating osteochondral ankle defects with imaging modalities. World J Orthop 2015 Dec 18;6(11):944-53.
- Juras V, Bohndorf K, Heule R, Kronnerwetter C, Szomolanyi P, Hager B, Bieri O, Zbyn S, Trattnig S. A comparison of multi-echo spin-echo and triple-echo steady-state T2 mapping for in vivo evaluation of articular cartilage. Eur Radiol 2016 Jun;26(6):1905-12.
- Shive MS, Stanish WD, McCormack R, Forriol F, Mohtadi N, Pelet S, Desnoyers J, Méthot S, Vehik K, Restrepo A. BST-CarGel® Treatment Maintains Cartilage Repair Superiority over Microfracture at 5 Years in a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. Cartilage 2015 Apr;6(2):62-72.
- Ross KA, Williams RM, Schnabel LV, Mohammed HO, Potter HG, Bradica G, Castiglione E, Pownder SL, Satchell PW, Saska RA, Fortier LA. Comparison of Three Methods to Quantify Repair Cartilage Collagen Orientation. Cartilage 2013 Apr;4(2):111-20.
- Kulmala KA, Pulkkinen HJ, Rieppo L, Tiitu V, Kiviranta I, Brünott A, Brommer H, van Weeren R, Brama PA, Mikkola MT, Korhonen RK, Jurvelin JS, Töyräs J. Contrast-Enhanced Micro-Computed Tomography in Evaluation of Spontaneous Repair of Equine Cartilage. Cartilage 2012 Jul;3(3):235-44.
- Nehrer S, Domayer SE, Hirschfeld C, Stelzeneder D, Trattnig S, Dorotka R. Matrix-Associated and Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation in the Ankle: Clinical and MRI Follow-up after 2 to 11 Years. Cartilage 2011 Jan;2(1):81-91.
- Domayer SE, Welsch GH, Stelzeneder D, Hirschfeld C, Quirbach S, Nehrer S, Dorotka R, Mamisch TC, Trattnig S. Microfracture in the Ankle: Clinical Results and MRI with T2-Mapping at 3.0 T after 1 to 8 Years. Cartilage 2011 Jan;2(1):73-80.
- Trattnig S, Winalski CS, Marlovits S, Jurvelin JS, Welsch GH, Potter HG. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Cartilage Repair: A Review. Cartilage 2011 Jan;2(1):5-26.
- Buda R, Vannini F, Cavallo M, Baldassarri M, Natali S, Castagnini F, Giannini S. One-step bone marrow-derived cell transplantation in talarosteochondral lesions: mid-term results. Joints 2013 Jul-Sep;1(3):102-7.
- Tao H, Li H, Hua Y, Chen Z, Feng X, Chen S. Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation of cartilage repair after microfracture treatment for full-thickness cartilage defect models in rabbit knee joints: correlations with histological findings. Skeletal Radiol 2015 Mar;44(3):393-402.
- Chen Q, Zuo Q, Hu Q, Feng Y, Cui W, Fan W, Zou Y. Morphological MRI and T2 mapping of cartilage repair tissue after mosaicplasty with tissue-engineered cartilage in a pig model. J Biomed Res 2014 Jul;28(4):309-19.
- Jungmann PM, Baum T, Bauer JS, Karampinos DC, Erdle B, Link TM, Li X, Trattnig S, Rummeny EJ, Woertler K, Welsch GH. Cartilage repair surgery: outcome evaluation by using noninvasive cartilage biomarkers based on quantitative MRI techniques?. Biomed Res Int 2014;2014:840170.
- Tao H, Shang X, Lu R, Li H, Hua Y, Feng X, Chen S. Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation of cartilage repair after microfracture (MF) treatment for adult unstable osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) in the ankle: correlations with clinical outcome. Eur Radiol 2014 Aug;24(8):1758-67.
- Hesper T, Hosalkar HS, Bittersohl D, Welsch GH, Krauspe R, Zilkens C, Bittersohl B. T2* mapping for articular cartilage assessment: principles, current applications, and future prospects. Skeletal Radiol 2014 Oct;43(10):1429-45.
- Surowiec RK, Lucas EP, Ho CP. Quantitative MRI in the evaluation of articular cartilage health: reproducibility and variability with a focus on T2 mapping. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2014 Jun;22(6):1385-95.
- Pachowsky ML, Trattnig S, Wondrasch B, Apprich S, Marlovits S, Mauerer A, Welsch GH, Blanke M. In vivo evaluation of biomechanical properties in the patellofemoral joint after matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte transplantation by means of quantitative T2 MRI. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2014 Jun;22(6):1360-9.
- Cha JG, Lee JC, Kim HJ, Han JK, Lee EH, Kim YD, Jeon CH. Comparison of MRI T2 relaxation changes of knee articular cartilage before and after running between young and old amateur athletes. Korean J Radiol 2012 Sep-Oct;13(5):594-601.
- Chang G, Madelin G, Sherman OH, Strauss EJ, Xia D, Recht MP, Jerschow A, Regatte RR. Improved assessment of cartilage repair tissue using fluid-suppressed ²³Na inversion recovery MRI at 7 Tesla: preliminary results. Eur Radiol 2012 Jun;22(6):1341-9.
- Gavenis K, Schneider U, Maus U, Mumme T, Muller-Rath R, Schmidt-Rohlfing B, Andereya S. Cell-free repair of small cartilage defects in the Goettinger minipig: which defect size is possible?. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2012 Nov;20(11):2307-14.
- Theologis AA, Schairer WW, Carballido-Gamio J, Majumdar S, Li X, Ma CB. Longitudinal analysis of T1ρ and T2 quantitative MRI of knee cartilage laminar organization following microfracture surgery. Knee 2012 Oct;19(5):652-7.
- Kuo TF, Lin MF, Lin YH, Lin YC, Su RJ, Lin HW, Chan WP. Implantation of platelet-rich fibrin and cartilage granules facilitates cartilage repair in the injured rabbit knee: preliminary report. Clinics (Sao Paulo) 2011;66(10):1835-8.
- Fleming BC, Vajapeyam S, Connolly SA, Magarian EM, Murray MM. The use of magnetic resonance imaging to predict ACL graft structural properties. J Biomech 2011 Nov 10;44(16):2843-6.
- Joseph GB, Baum T, Carballido-Gamio J, Nardo L, Virayavanich W, Alizai H, Lynch JA, McCulloch CE, Majumdar S, Link TM. Texture analysis of cartilage T2 maps: individuals with risk factors for OA have higher and more heterogeneous knee cartilage MR T2 compared to normal controls--data from the osteoarthritis initiative. Arthritis Res Ther 2011;13(5):R153.
- Winalski CS, Rajiah P. The evolution of articular cartilage imaging and its impact on clinical practice. Skeletal Radiol 2011 Sep;40(9):1197-222.
- Chang G, Sherman O, Madelin G, Recht M, Regatte R. MR imaging assessment of articular cartilage repair procedures. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am 2011 May;19(2):323-37.
- Choi JA, Gold GE. MR imaging of articular cartilage physiology. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am 2011 May;19(2):249-82.
- Mamisch TC, Hughes T, Mosher TJ, Mueller C, Trattnig S, Boesch C, Welsch GH. T2 star relaxation times for assessment of articular cartilage at 3 T: a feasibility study. Skeletal Radiol 2012 Mar;41(3):287-92.
- Schneider U, Schmidt-Rohlfing B, Gavenis K, Maus U, Mueller-Rath R, Andereya S. A comparative study of 3 different cartilage repair techniques. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2011 Dec;19(12):2145-52.
- Holtzman DJ, Theologis AA, Carballido-Gamio J, Majumdar S, Li X, Benjamin C. T(1ρ) and T(2) quantitative magnetic resonance imaging analysis of cartilage regeneration following microfracture and mosaicplasty cartilage resurfacing procedures. J Magn Reson Imaging 2010 Oct;32(4):914-23.
- Welsch GH, Trattnig S, Hughes T, Quirbach S, Olk A, Blanke M, Marlovits S, Mamisch TC. T2 and T2* mapping in patients after matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte transplantation: initial results on clinical use with 3.0-Tesla MRI. Eur Radiol 2010 Jun;20(6):1515-23.
- Kim M, Foo LF, Uggen C, Lyman S, Ryaby JT, Moynihan DP, Grande DA, Potter HG, Pleshko N. Evaluation of early osteochondral defect repair in a rabbit model utilizing fourier transform-infrared imaging spectroscopy, magnetic resonance imaging, and quantitative T2 mapping. Tissue Eng Part C Methods 2010 Jun;16(3):355-64.
- Giannini S, Buda R, Vannini F, Cavallo M, Grigolo B. One-step bone marrow-derived cell transplantation in talar osteochondral lesions. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2009 Dec;467(12):3307-20.
- Quirbach S, Trattnig S, Marlovits S, Zimmermann V, Domayer S, Dorotka R, Mamisch TC, Bohndorf K, Welsch GH. Initial results of in vivo high-resolution morphological and biochemical cartilage imaging of patients after matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT) of the ankle. Skeletal Radiol 2009 Aug;38(8):751-60.
- Trattnig S, Domayer S, Welsch GW, Mosher T, Eckstein F. MR imaging of cartilage and its repair in the knee--a review. Eur Radiol 2009 Jul;19(7):1582-94.
- Klein TJ, Malda J, Sah RL, Hutmacher DW. Tissue engineering of articular cartilage with biomimetic zones. Tissue Eng Part B Rev 2009 Jun;15(2):143-57.
- Maizlin ZV, Clement JJ, Patola WB, Fenton DM, Gillies JH, Vos PM, Jacobson JA. T2 mapping of articular cartilage of glenohumeral joint with routine MRI correlation--initial experience. HSS J 2009 Feb;5(1):61-6.
- Welsch GH, Mamisch TC, Quirbach S, Zak L, Marlovits S, Trattnig S. Evaluation and comparison of cartilage repair tissue of the patella and medial femoral condyle by using morphological MRI and biochemical zonal T2 mapping. Eur Radiol 2009 May;19(5):1253-62.
- Juras V, Welsch GH, Millington S, Szomolanyi P, Mamisch TC, Pinker K, Trattnig S. Kinematic biomechanical assessment of human articular cartilage transplants in the knee using 3-T MRI: an in vivo reproducibility study. Eur Radiol 2009 May;19(5):1246-52.
- Welsch GH, Mamisch TC, Weber M, Horger W, Bohndorf K, Trattnig S. High-resolution morphological and biochemical imaging of articular cartilage of the ankle joint at 3.0 T using a new dedicated phased array coil: in vivo reproducibility study. Skeletal Radiol 2008 Jun;37(6):519-26.
- Hattori K, Uematsu K, Tanikake Y, Habata T, Tanaka Y, Yajima H, Takakura Y. Spectrocolorimetric assessment of cartilage plugs after autologous osteochondral grafting: correlations between color indices and histological findings in a rabbit model. Arthritis Res Ther 2007;9(5):R88.
- Silvestre A, Caudron S, Rouchaud A, Borodetsky V, Pesquer L, González-Adrio CF, Dallaudière B. Intra-Articular Injection of Bone Marrow Concentrate for Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis Treatment: Preliminary Results Using a New Tibial Endplate Sample Under Ultrasound Guidance. Bioengineering (Basel) 2025 Oct 24;12(11).
- Koyun M, Arda KN. Diagnostic Value of T2 Mapping in Sacroiliitis Associated with Spondyloarthropathy. Diagnostics (Basel) 2025 Jun 26;15(13).
- Fernandes TL, Santanna JPC, de Faria RR, Pastore ER, Bueno DF, Hernandez AJ. Tissue Engineering Construct for Articular Cartilage Restoration with Stromal Cells from Synovium vs. Dental Pulp-A Pre-Clinical Study. Pharmaceutics 2024 Dec 5;16(12).
- Pătraşcu JM Jr, Florescu S, Brad S, Andor BC, Ilia I, Stănciugelu ŞI, Cristina RT. Magnetic resonance imaging combined with histological evaluation of repair process using the microfracture technique in an association of osteocartilaginous and meniscal surgically induced lesions of the knee. In vivo experiment on a rabbit model. Rom J Morphol Embryol 2024 Jan-Mar;65(1):89-97.
- Wu W, Kang Z, Mu D, Zhao H, Yang F. T2 mapping for quantitative assessment of ankle cartilage of weightlifters. Sci Rep 2023 Nov 6;13(1):19160.