Comparison of UTE Ratios Based on Magnetization Transfer & T2 for Quantification of Achilles Tendinopathy

Richard J. Hodgson¹, Peter Wright², Andrew J. Grainger², Phillip O'Connor², Dennis McGonagle, Phillip Helliwell, Paul Emery, Matthew D. Robson³

Ultrashort echo time imaging allows measurement of magnetization transfer ratios and simple ratios of signal intensity which depend on T2. The Achilles tendons of 11 patients with tendinopathy and 13 healthy volunteers were imaged with UTE 140/0.07/30 imaging with and without a MT prepulse, and a similar sequence with an effective echo time of 2ms. MTR and the ratio of the TE=2ms to UTE images were calculated for the Achilles tendon. The T2 dependent ratio was significantly greater in spondyloarthritis patients but the MTR was not. T2-dependent ratios are therefore likely to be better measures of tendinopathy than the MTR.