T2 and T2* Relaxometry in the Meniscus Using a Novel, Rapid Multi-Echo Steady State Sequence

Emily J. McWalter¹, Garry E. Gold¹, Marcus T. Alley¹, Brian Andrew Hargreaves¹

T₂ and T₂* relaxation time mapping can be used to detect early degeneration of the meniscus; however, current techniques require lengthy scans (10 to 20 minutes per measure). We present a novel, rapid multi-echo steady state technique to simultaneously estimate T₂ and T₂* relaxation times in the meniscus in under 5 minutes. The relaxation times estimated using this new technique agreed well with standard measures and were obtained in a fraction of the time.