Achilles tendon and enthesis assessment using ultrashort echo time magnetic resonance imaging (UTE‐MRI) T1 and magnetization transfer (MT) modeling in psoriatic arthritis

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of ultrashort echo time (UTE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques (T1 and magnetization transfer [MT] modeling) for imaging of the Achilles tendons and entheses in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) compared with asymptomatic volunteers. The heels of twenty‐six PsA patients (age 59 ± 15 years, 41% female) and twenty‐seven asymptomatic volunteers (age 33 ± 11 years, 47% female) were scanned in the sagittal plane with UTE‐T1 and UTE‐MT modeling sequences on a 3‐T clinical scanner. UTE‐T1 and macromolecular proton fraction (MMF; the main outcome of MT modeling) were calculated in the tensile portions of the Achilles tendon and at the enthesis (close to the calcaneus bone). Mann–Whitney‐U tests were used to examine statistically significant differences between the two cohorts. UTE‐T1 in the entheses was significantly higher for the PsA group compared with the asymptomatic group (967 ± 145 vs. 872 ± 133 ms, p < 0.01). UTE‐T1 in the tendons was also significantly higher for the PsA group (950 ± 145 vs. 850 ± 138 ms, p < 0.01). MMF in the entheses was significantly lower in the PsA group compared with the asymptomatic group (15% ± 3% vs. 18% ± 3%, p < 0.01). MMF in the tendons was also significantly lower in the PsA group compared with the asymptomatic group (17% ± 4% vs. 20% ± 5%, p < 0.01). Percentage differences in MMF between the asymptomatic and PsA groups (−16.6% and −15.0% for the enthesis and tendon, respectively) were higher than the T1 differences (10.8% and 11.7% for the enthesis and tendon, respectively). The results suggest higher T1 and lower MMF in the Achilles tendons and entheses in PsA patients compared with the asymptomatic group. This study highlights the potential of UTE‐T1 and UTE‐MT modeling for quantitative evaluation of entheses and tendons in PsA patients.

Fast dual-echo estimation of apparent long T2 fraction using ultrashort echo time magnetic resonance imaging in tibialis tendons and its osteoporosis-related differences in women

“…Several UTE MRI techniques have been reported in the literature for both ex vivo and in vivo tendon assessments that utilize multiple acquisitions per exam, including UTE-T2* ( 17 , 20 , 21 , 27 , 41 - 47 ), UTE-T1 ( 43 , 48 - 51 ), UTE-T1ρ ( 52 ), MT ( 42 , 49 , 50 , 53 - 56 ), and inversion recovery (IR) UTE-T2* ( 57 ). The Achilles ( 18 , 20 , 21 , 41 - 44 , 49 , 51 , 52 , 55 , 56 , 58 , 59 ), rotator cuff ( 46 , 53 , 54 ), tibialis ( 49 , 50 ), and patellar tendons ( 44 , 58 , 60 ) are the main targeted tendons for UTE-MRI-based assessments.…”

Collagen degradation assessment with an in vitro rotator cuff tendinopathy model using multiparametric ultrashort‐TE magnetization transfer (UTE‐MT) imaging

“…16 Chen et al and Moazamian et al found MTR and MMF of the Achilles tendon were significantly lower for psoriatic arthritis patients than healthy volunteers. 17,18 Ashir et al found that symptomatic and asymptomatic rotator cuff tendinopathy showed significantly lower MMF values compared with normal controls. 3 To the best of our knowledge, UTE-based qMT parameters and MTR have yet to be systematically studied to evaluate the exact collagen degradation and diagnostic efficacies in rotator cuff degeneration.…”

“…8,15,16 UTE also makes it possible to quantify the MR properties of tendons. Although preliminary explorations have been conducted in tendon diseases, 3,[16][17][18] the ability of UTE-based qMT parameters and MTR to evaluate collagen degradation has yet to be systematically studied in rotator cuff tendinopathy.…”