자기공명영상의 T2 mapping을 이용한 무증상 젊은 성인의 견관절 연골 생리의 평가에 관한 실행 가능성 연구

Abstract

Introduction: To evaluate the feasibility of quantitative T2 mapping of the glenohumeral joint cartilage at 3.0T and to assess the T2 mapping characteristics of the normal glenohumeral joint. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was approved by our institutional review board and written informed consent was obtained. Fifteen healthy volunteers were enrolled and underwent a multiecho spin-echo T2-weighted MR imaging of the shoulder and T2 mapping was acquired with a dedicated software. Regions of interest that covered the full thickness of the humeral cartilage and glenoid cartilage were respectively placed on an oblique coronal image to assess the mean T2 relaxation time. T2 profiles of humeral cartilage were measured from the cartilage-bone interface to the articular surface. Intraobserver agreement was analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: T2 maps were successfully obtained in 13 subjects (mean age, 28.6 years

age range, 24-33 years). All 13 joints showed normal appearance on conventional T2-weighted images, without signal intensity alterations or cartilage defects. On quantitative evaluation, the mean cartilage T2 values of humeral cartilage and glenoid cartilage were 50.5 msec ± 12.1 and 49.0 msec ± 9.9, respectively. Intraobserver agreement was good, as determined by an ICC of 0.736. Longer T2 values were observed at the articular surface with a tendency to decrease toward the bone-cartilage interface. The mean cartilage T2 value was 69.03 msec ± 21.2 at the articular surface and 46.99 msec ± 19.6 at the bone-cartilage interface of the humeral head. Conclusion: T2 mapping of the glenohumeral joint is feasible on a 3T scanner in a clinically feasible time frame. The T2 profile of the normal humeral cartilage shows a spatial variation with an increase in T2 values from the subchondral bone to the articular surface.