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3T MRI of the knee with optimised isotropic 3D sequences: Accurate delineation of intra-articular pathology without prolonged acquisition times

  • Magnetic Resonance
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Abstract

Objectives

To investigate optimised isotropic 3D turbo spin echo (TSE) and gradient echo (GRE)-based pulse sequences for visualisation of articular cartilage lesions within the knee joint.

Methods

Optimisation of experimental imaging sequences was completed using healthy volunteers (n=16) with a 3-Tesla (3T) MRI scanner. Imaging of patients with knee cartilage abnormalities (n=57) was then performed. Acquired sequences included 3D proton density-weighted (PDW) TSE (SPACE) with and without fat-suppression (FS), and T2*W GRE (TrueFISP) sequences, with acquisition times of 6:51, 6:32 and 5:35 min, respectively.

Results

One hundred sixty-one confirmed cartilage lesions were detected and categorised (Grade II n=90, Grade III n=71). The highest sensitivity and specificity for detecting cartilage lesions were obtained with TrueFISP with values of 84.7% and 92%, respectively. Cartilage SNR mean for PDW SPACE-FS was the highest at 72.2. TrueFISP attained the highest CNR means for joint fluid/cartilage (101.5) and joint fluid/ligament (156.5), and the lowest CNR for cartilage/meniscus (48.5). Significant differences were identified across the three sequences for all anatomical structures with respect to SNR and CNR findings (p-value <0.05).

Conclusion

Isotropic TrueFISP at 3T, optimised for acquisition time, accurately detects cartilage defects, although it demonstrated the lowest contrast between cartilage and meniscus.

Key points

• Cartilage is better visualised with 3D TrueFISP than 3D SPACE sequences.

• 3D TrueFISP is a reliable sequence for detecting low- and high-grade cartilage defects.

• 3D TrueFISP at 3T provides excellent contrast between cartilage and joint fluid.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiography and Diagnostic Imaging, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

    Osamah M. Abdulaal, Louise Rainford, Marie Galligan & Allison McGee

  2. Department of Radiology, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

    Peter MacMahon & Eoin Kavanagh

  3. Department of Orthopaedics, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

    James Cashman

  4. School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Peter MacMahon, Eoin Kavanagh & James Cashman

Authors
  1. Osamah M. Abdulaal
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  2. Louise Rainford
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  3. Peter MacMahon
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  4. Eoin Kavanagh
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  5. Marie Galligan
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  6. James Cashman
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  7. Allison McGee
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Osamah M. Abdulaal.

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Guarantor

The scientific guarantor of this publication is Prof Louise Rainford.

Conflict of interest

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.

Funding

The authors state that this work has not received any funding.

Statistics and biometry

One of the authors has significant statistical expertise and is employed as a statistician in a third level academic institution.

Informed consent

Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects (patients) in this study.

Ethical approval

Institutional Review Board approval was obtained.

Methodology

• prospective

• experimental

• performed at one institution

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Abdulaal, O., Rainford, L., MacMahon, P. et al. 3T MRI of the knee with optimised isotropic 3D sequences: Accurate delineation of intra-articular pathology without prolonged acquisition times. Eur Radiol 27, 4563–4570 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-017-4816-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-017-4816-x

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