Effects of Scapholunate Ligament Injury and Surgical Repair on Wrist Cartilage T2 Relaxation Time

Abstract

Purpose: Our objective was to investigate the effects of injury and surgical repair on T2 relaxation time, as a non-invasive biomarker of changes in the biophysical and biochemical status of the cartilage in the wrist. Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed using 3T scanners. Nine subjects attended scan sessions for both their injured wrist and contralateral (normal) wrist preoperation and post-operation. T2 relaxation times were individually calculated by each cartilage surface of the radioscaphoid, radiolunate, capitoscaphoid and capitolunate articulations. Results: T2 relaxation times were not found to vary significantly according to injury state. Overall, findings were