Evaluation of Articular Cartilage of Lumbar Facet Joints with UTE MR Imaging and Multi-Echo SE T2 Mapping Techniques

Hatice Tuba Sanal¹, Tobias Mett², Sheronda Statum¹, Jiang Du¹, Richard Znamirowski¹, Graeme Bydder¹, Christine Chung¹

Evaluation of articular cartilage (AC) of lumbar facet joints (LFJS) with UTE/Multi-Echo SE T2 Mapping. Objective: Qualitatively/quantitatively evaluate morphology and biochemical integrity of AC of LFJs. Materials and methods: A cadaveric lumbar spine was evaluated with standard clinical, UTE sequences, multi-echo SE T2 mapping and T1/T2* measurement. Results: Mean T2 value of superficial layer of cartilage was 53 ms on abnormal side and 40ms on normal side. T2* value of calcified layer of cartilage on abnormal side and normal side were calculated 6.8 ms and 2.1 respectively.