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Pediatric Rheumatology
Published in: Pediatric Rheumatology 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research article

Readout-segmented multi-shot diffusion-weighted MRI of the knee joint in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Authors: Alexander Sauer, Mengxia Li, Annette Holl-Wieden, Thomas Pabst, Henning Neubauer

Published in: Pediatric Rheumatology | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

Diffusion-weighted MRI has been proposed as a new technique for imaging synovitis without intravenous contrast application. We investigated diagnostic utility of multi-shot readout-segmented diffusion-weighted MRI (multi-shot DWI) for synovial imaging of the knee joint in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods

Thirty-two consecutive patients with confirmed or suspected JIA (21 girls, median age 13 years) underwent routine 1.5 T MRI with contrast-enhanced T1w imaging (contrast-enhanced MRI) and with multi-shot DWI (RESOLVE, b-values 0–50 and 800 s/mm2). Contrast-enhanced MRI, representing the diagnostic standard, and diffusion-weighted images at b = 800 s/mm2 were separately rated by three independent blinded readers at different levels of expertise for the presence and the degree of synovitis on a modified 5-item Likert scale along with the level of subjective diagnostic confidence.

Results

Fourteen (44%) patients had active synovitis and joint effusion, nine (28%) patients showed mild synovial enhancement not qualifying for arthritis and another nine (28%) patients had no synovial signal alterations on contrast-enhanced imaging. Ratings by the 1st reader on contrast-enhanced MRI and on DWI showed substantial agreement (κ = 0.74). Inter-observer-agreement was high for diagnosing, or ruling out, active arthritis of the knee joint on contrast-enhanced MRI and on DWI, showing full agreement between 1st and 2nd reader and disagreement in one case (3%) between 1st and 3rd reader. In contrast, ratings in cases of absent vs. little synovial inflammation were markedly inconsistent on DWI. Diagnostic confidence was lower on DWI, compared to contrast-enhanced imaging.

Conclusion

Multi-shot DWI of the knee joint is feasible in routine imaging and reliably diagnoses, or rules out, active arthritis of the knee joint in paediatric patients without the need of gadolinium-based i.v. contrast injection. Possibly due to “T2w shine-through” artifacts, DWI does not reliably differentiate non-inflamed joints from knee joints with mild synovial irritation.
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Metadata
Title
Readout-segmented multi-shot diffusion-weighted MRI of the knee joint in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Authors
Alexander Sauer
Mengxia Li
Annette Holl-Wieden
Thomas Pabst
Henning Neubauer
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Pediatric Rheumatology / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1546-0096
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12969-017-0203-z

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