Christoph Stehling1,2, Hans Liebl1, Ben Hyun1, Nancy E. Lane3, Roland Krug1, Thomas M. Link1
1Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; 2Department of Radiology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany; 3Department of Medicine, Aging Center, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
The aim was to study association of cartilage T2-relaxation-time-measurements, morphological cartilage and meniscus abnormalities using 3T MRI of the knee and physical activity levels obtained in 100 asymptomatic subjects aged 45-55 years from the OAI incidence cohort. Subjects had a very high prevalence of cartilage (79%) and meniscus (46%) lesions. A highly significant correlation between patella T2, severity of cartilage and meniscus lesions and physical activity levels was also found. Patella T2 may be a marker for internal joint derangement. Patients with higher activity levels and high T2 may be at greater risk for cartilage and meniscal abnormalities and for developing OA.