Affiliations: Department of Pharmacology, Faculté de Médecine, UMR 7561 CNRS University Nancy I, Avenue de la Forêt de Haye, 54505 Vandoeuvre lès Nancy, France | Clinique Rhumatologique (Pr. Jacques Pourel), Chu Nancy brabois, 54511 Vandoeuvre cedex, France | Imagerie Adaptative Diagnostique et Interventionnelle (Pr. Jacques Felblinger), Chu de Nancy Brabois, Tour Drouet 4ème étage, 54511 Vandoeuvre lés Nancy cedex, France | Service de Radiologie Guilloz (Pr. Alain Blum), Chu de Nancy, Hôpital Central, CO 34, 54000 Nancy cedex, France
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Pierre Gillet. E-mail: Pierre.Gillet@medecine.uhp-nancy.fr.
Abstract: Objectives: As the early form of OA is characterized by elevated water content in the cartilage tissue, the purpose of this study was to verify in vivo if age-related changes in patellar cartilage in healthy volunteers can be detected using quantitative MRI with T2 mapping and volume measurement MRI methods. Design: Thirty healthy volunteers of various classes of age (18 to 65 years old) were enrolled in this study. MR images of the patellar cartilage were acquired at 1.5T. Patellar cartilage volume and T2 maps were determined. Results: Despite non-significance, there was a trend in reducing cartilage volume with ageing (r: −0.25). In contrast global T2 slightly increased with ageing (r: 0.46). BMI (r: 0.51) and bone volume (r: 0.69) are well correlated to cartilage volume. Conclusion. Age-related physiologic changes in the water content of patellar cartilage can be detected using MRI. The proposed T2-mapping method, coupled with other non-invasive MR cartilage imaging techniques, could aid in the early diagnosis of OA.
