Abstract #1391

3D HR-MRI at 3T for Dedicated Visualization of In-Vivo Locoregional Deformation Pattern of the Knee Cartilage for Cartilage Contact Areas in Different Work-Related Flexion Postures

Annie Horng¹, Jos Raya², Monika Zscharn¹, Ulrike Hoehne-Hueckstaedt³, Ulrich Glitsch³, Rolf Ellegast³, Kurt Georg Hering⁴, Maximilian F. Reiser¹, Christian Glaser¹

¹Department of Clinical Radiology, University Hospitals LMU Munich Campus Grosshadern, Munich, Bavaria, Germany; ²Center of Biomedical Imaging, New York University Medical Hospital, New York, United States; ³Fachbereich 4, Institut fr Arbeitsschutz der Deutschen Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung, St. Augustin, Germany; ⁴Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Dortmund, Germany

Cartilage strain is considered a potential cause for degeneration and osteoarthritis. 3D-HR-MRI was utilized and proved able to evaluate the dimension and distribution of cartilage deformation in the knee joint after different standardized flexion exercises. The deformation pattern was similar for the excercises, possibly a consequence of mutual knee flexion over 90. Specific patterns were visible for squatting and knee bends possibly due to higher flexion grade in the former and dynamic movement character in the latter. The data may support the understanding of individual knee kinematics and contribute to improvement and validation of biomechanical models for the knee.