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Changes in the T2 value of cartilage after meniscus transplantation over 1 year

  • Musculoskeletal
  • Published:
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Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate the changes in the mean T2 values of articular cartilage on serial follow-up images up to 1 year in patients who underwent lateral meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT).

Methods

Fifty-two patients who underwent lateral MAT surgery at our hospital were evaluated preoperatively and at 2 days, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after MAT using 3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that included T2 mapping. T2 value changes according to the arthroscopic grading of chondromalacia were evaluated in the lateral and medial compartment. Lysholm scores were obtained pre- and postoperatively.

Results

The T2 values of cartilage were significantly increased 2 days after operation, and then gradually reduced to the baseline level after 1 year in both compartments. In morphologic assessment performed after 1 year, most areas (92.9 %) showed no interval change of chondromalacia grade. Lyshom knee scores increased significantly from the mean preoperative value of 62.5 (range, 23–95) to 89.7 (range, 64–100) at 1 year (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Mean T2 values of cartilage following MAT exhibited a return to baseline level after 1 year. T2 measurement can be a useful tool for quantitative evaluation of postoperative cartilage changes compared to conventional MRI.

Key Points

• T2 mapping provides objective data for longitudinal monitoring following surgery.

• Increased cartilage T2 values post-MAT returned to baseline in one year.

• Further studies are required to predict the chondroprotective effect of MAT.

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Acknowledgments

The scientific guarantor of this publication is Sang Hoon Lee, professor at the Asan Medical Center. The authors of this manuscript declare no relationships with any companies, whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the article. The authors state that this work has not received any funding. No complex statistical methods were necessary for this paper. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. Written informed consent was waived by the Institutional Review Board.

Methodology: retrospective, observational study, performed at one institution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88, Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, Korea

    Sun-Young Park, Sang Hoon Lee, Min Hee Lee, Hye Won Chung & Myung Jin Shin

  2. Department of Radiology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Gwanpyeong-ro 170 beon-gil, Dongan-gu, Anyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, 14068, Republic of Korea

    Sun-Young Park

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  1. Sun-Young Park
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Correspondence to Sang Hoon Lee.

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Park, SY., Lee, S.H., Lee, M.H. et al. Changes in the T2 value of cartilage after meniscus transplantation over 1 year. Eur Radiol 27, 1496–1504 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-016-4497-x

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