An MR‐based technique for quantifying the deformation of articular cartilage during mechanical loading in an intact cadaver joint

Abstract

The objective of this study was to develop an MR-based technique for quantifying the deformation of articular cartilage during mechanical loading in an intact cadaver joint at high spatial and temporal resolution. A nonmetallic pressure device was constructed for applying loads of >1000 N to a femoro-patellar articulation within an extremity coil of a clinical 1.5 T MRI scanner. Digital image processing methods were used to determine the location- and time-dependent cartilage deformation in consecutive 2D fat-suppressed FLASH images. Additionally, three-dimensional reconstruction of the cartilage was performed from 3D fat-suppressed FLASH image data. During the first 10 min of static compression, thickness changes between 10 and 30% were observed. Thickness changes greater than 50% and volume changes of 20% were recorded after 3 h. The technique permits analysis of the load and time-dependent mechanical behavior of articular cartilage in its natural environment.

Elastic registration of 3D cartilage surfaces from MR image data for detecting local changes in cartilage thickness

“…Finally, registration was performed for undeformed patellar cartilages in six cadavers and those obtained in a 4-hr static compression experiment with a loading force of 150% body weight (5,29).…”

Effect of gradient and section orientation on quantitative analysis of knee joint cartilage

“…MRI is an emerging technique for noninvasive quantification of cartilage tissue, with important applications in anatomy (1,2), biomechanics (3)(4)(5), and clinical disease management (6 -9). The initial approach has been to determine the total volume of a cartilage plate from serial MR images (10 -14), but more recently strategies have been developed for determining the cartilage thickness throughout entire joint surfaces (3,15,16).…”

Relevanz suszeptibilitätsinduzierter geometrischer Fehlkodierungen für die Validität MR-basierter Knorpelvolumen- und -dickenmessungen im Kniegelenk - Relevance of Susceptibility-induced Geometrical Distortion for the Accuracy of MR-based Cartilage Volume and Thickness Measurement

“…Mit schnellen zwei-und dreidimensionalen fettunterdrückten FLASH-Sequenzen ist es in neuerer Zeit auch möglich geworden, das last-und zeitabhängige Deformationsverhalten des Knorpels im intakten Gelenk, sowohl während statischer Kompression in vitro [9] als auch kurz nach dynamischer mechanischer Belastung in vivo [8] zu bestimmen. Die Kombination MR-basierter Deformationsmessungen und biphasischer Finite-Elemente-Modelle könnte damit in der Zukunft zu einem erweiterten Verständnis der Pathogenese osteoarthrotischer Erkrankungen beitragen.…”