Age-Dependent Changes in Knee Cartilage T1, T2, and T1p Simultaneously Measured Using MRI Fingerprinting

Background: Magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) techniques have been recently described for simultaneous multiparameter cartilage mapping of the knee although investigation of their ability to detect early cartilage degeneration remains limited. Purpose: To investigate age-dependent changes in knee cartilage T-1, T-2, and T-1p relaxation times measured using a three-dimensional (3D) MRF sequence in healthy volunteers. Study Type: Prospective. Subjects: The study group consisted of 24 healthy asymptomatic human volunteers (15 males with mean age 34.9 +/- 14.4 years and 9 females with mean age 44.5 +/- 13.1 years). Field Strength/Sequence: A 3.0 T gradient-echo-based 3D-MRF sequence was used to simultaneously create proton density-weighted images and T-1, T-2, and T-1p maps of knee cartilage. Assessment: Mean global cartilage and regional cartilage (lateral femur, lateral tibia, medial femur, medial tibia, and patella) T-1, T-2, and T-1 rho relaxation times of the knee were measured. Statistical Tests: Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compared cartilage T-1, T-2, and T(1 rho )relaxation times between different age groups, while Spearman correlation coefficients was used to determine the association between age and cartilage T-1, T-2, and T-1 rho relaxation times. The value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Higher age groups showed higher global and regional cartilage T-1, T-2, and T-1 rho. There was a significant difference between age groups in global cartilage T-2 and T-1 rho but no significant difference (P = 0.13) in global cartilage T-1. Significant difference was also present between age groups in cartilage T-2 and T-1 rho for medial femur cartilage and medial tibia cartilage. There were significant moderate correlations between age and T-2 and T-1 rho for global cartilage (R-2 = 0.63-0.64), medial femur cartilage (R-2 = 0.50-0.56), and medial tibia cartilage (R-2 = 0.54-0.66). Conclusion: Cartilage T-2 and T-1p relaxation times simultaneously measured using a 3D-MRF sequence in healthy volunteers showed age-dependent changes in knee cartilage, primarily within the medial compartment.

Automated summary

This study investigated age-dependent changes in knee cartilage among healthy volunteers using a 3D-MRF sequence. The results showed that there were increased T-1, T-2, and T-1ρ relaxation times in both global and regional cartilage with higher age groups, primarily within the medial compartment.