Elli-Noora Salo1, 2, Mikko J. Nissi, 23, Timo Liimatainen4, Shalom Michaeli3, Silvia Mangia3, Jutta Ellermann3, Miika T. Nieminen1, 5
1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland; 2Department of Applied Physics, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; 3Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States; 4Department of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, A. I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; 5Department of Medical Technology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
The purpose of this study was to compare various MRI parameters, (T1, T2, dGEMRIC index, T1sat, continuous-wave T1ρ, adiabatic T1ρ and T2ρ, and RAFF), after selective degradation of cartilage glycosaminoglycan and collagen. The MRI parameters exhibited different responses to the enzyme treatments: While native T1 and the dGEMRIC index detected significant differences between control and glycosaminoglycan-depleted tissue, the majority of parameters showed a significant change after collagenase treatment. Significant correlations were observed between the MRI parameters and the biomechanical properties of the tissue, indicating MRI parameters as markers of the functional properties of cartilage.