Identification of patients with early cartilage degeneration who are at greater risk for poor clinical outcomes is critical for development of interventions to reduce osteoarthritis risk after ACL injury. This study tested the hypothesis that UTE-T2* profile analysis of knee cartilage correlates with patient reported outcomes (PRO) in ACL-reconstructed subjects 2 years after surgery. UTE-T2* mean values and profile characteristics in 27 ACL-reconstructed subjects correlated with patient reported pain and symptoms. Side-to-side differences in UTE-T2* profiles of some high functioning individuals suggest that this UTE metric may provide earlier warning of cartilage at risk for progressive degeneration than PRO.
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