Ultrashort TE-Enhanced T2* Mapping of Deep Articular Cartilage Detects Sub-Clinical Degeneration

Ashley Williams¹, Yongxian Qian², Constance R. Chu¹

UTE-T₂^* mapping is sensitive to short-T₂ signals and therefore has the potential to provide prognostic indication of otherwise clinically occult knee osteoarthritis in deep articular cartilage. UTE-T₂^* maps were evaluated in 53 human subjects. Significant elevations of UTE-T₂^* values in deep femoral condylar cartilage of subjects with ACL and/or meniscal injury without clinical evidence of subsurface cartilage abnormality suggest that UTE-T₂^* mapping is sensitive to sub-clinical cartilage degeneration. Significant decreases in UTE-T₂^* values measured longitudinally over 12 months following ACL reconstruction suggest that UTE-T₂^* can be used to quantitatively monitor changes to cartilage status in response to therapeutic interventions.