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Heiss R, Weber MA, Balbach EL, Hinsen M, Geissler F, Nagel AM, Ladd ME, Arkudas A, Horch RE, Gall C, Uder M, Roemer FW. Variation in cartilage T2 and T2* mapping of the wrist: a comparison between 3- and 7-T MRI. Eur Radiol Exp 2023; 7:80. [PMID: 38093075 PMCID: PMC10719234 DOI: 10.1186/s41747-023-00394-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To analyze regional variations in T2 and T2* relaxation times in wrist joint cartilage and the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) at 3 and 7 T and to compare values between field strengths. METHODS Twenty-five healthy controls and 25 patients with chronic wrist pain were examined at 3 and 7 T on the same day using T2- and T2*-weighted sequences. Six different regions of interest (ROIs) were evaluated for cartilage and 3 ROIs were evaluated at the TFCC based on manual segmentation. Paired t-tests were used to compare T2 and T2* values between field strengths and between different ROIs. Spearman's rank correlation was calculated to assess correlations between T2 and T2* time values at 3 and 7 T. RESULTS T2 and T2* time values of the cartilage differed significantly between 3 and 7 T for all ROIs (p ≤ 0.045), with one exception: at the distal lunate, no significant differences in T2 values were observed between field strengths. T2* values differed significantly between 3 and 7 T for all ROIs of the TFCC (p ≤ 0.001). Spearman's rank correlation between 3 and 7 T ranged from 0.03 to 0.62 for T2 values and from 0.01 to 0.48 for T2* values. T2 and T2* values for cartilage varied across anatomic locations in healthy controls at both 3 and 7 T. CONCLUSION Quantitative results of T2 and T2* mapping at the wrist differ between field strengths, with poor correlation between 3 and 7 T. Local variations in cartilage T2 and T2* values are observed in healthy individuals. RELEVANCE STATEMENT T2 and T2* mapping are feasible for compositional imaging of the TFCC and the cartilage at the wrist at both 3 and 7 T, but the clinical interpretation remains challenging due to differences between field strengths and variations between anatomic locations. KEY POINTS •Field strength and anatomic locations influence T2 and T2* values at the wrist. •T2 and T2* values have a poor correlation between 3 and 7 T. •Local reference values are needed for each anatomic location for reliable interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Heiss
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Maximiliansplatz 3, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Marc-André Weber
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Pediatric Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Rostock, Schillingallee 35, 18057, Rostock, Germany
| | - Eva L Balbach
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Maximiliansplatz 3, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Maximilian Hinsen
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Maximiliansplatz 3, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Frederik Geissler
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Maximiliansplatz 3, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Armin M Nagel
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Maximiliansplatz 3, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
- Medical Physics in Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mark E Ladd
- Medical Physics in Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 226, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Arkudas
- Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery and Laboratory for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Krankenhausstraße 12, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Raymund E Horch
- Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery and Laboratory for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Krankenhausstraße 12, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christine Gall
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Waldstraße 6, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Michael Uder
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Maximiliansplatz 3, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Frank W Roemer
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Maximiliansplatz 3, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
- Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E Concord St, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
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