Takashi Nishii1, Toshiyuki Shiomi2, Hisashi Tanaka3, Youichi Yamazaki4, Kenya Murase4, Takashi Sakai2, Masaki Takao2, Hideki Yoshikawa2, Nobuhiko Sugano1
1Department of Orthopaedic Medical Engineering, Osaka University Medical School, Osaka, Japan; 2Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka University Medical School, Osaka, Japan; 3Department of Radiology, Osaka University Medical School, Osaka, Japan; 4Department of Medical Physics & Engineering, Osaka University Medical School, Osaka, Japan
Cartilage T2 with use of loading in situ MR imaging (50% of body weight) was evaluated in 9 patients with hip dysplasia and 9 normal volunteers, for evaluation of cartilage pressure distribution in vivo. There was significant decrease of T2 by loading at the outer zone of the acetabular cartilage and inner zone of the femoral cartilage in dysplastic hips (p<0.05). Loading in situ MR imaging with T2 assessment may allow biomechanical assessment of pathological conditions related to localized stress concentration and have prognostic significance for osteoarthritic changes in hip dysplasia.