Elli-Noora
Salo1, Mikko J. Nissi1,2, Katariina Aino Maria Kulmala1,
Juha Tyrs1,3, Miika T. Nieminen4,5
1Department of Physics, University of
Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland; 2Department of Clinical Radiology, Kuopio
University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland; 3Diagnostic Imaging Centre,
Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland; 4Department of
Medical Technology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; 5Department
of Diagnostic Radiology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
The
dGEMRIC method is sensitive in detecting proteoglycan depletion in cartilage.
The aim of this study was to investigate the kinetics of gadopentetate
contrast agent in intact and enzymatically degraded cartilage. Diffusion of
gadopentetate was followed for 18 hours in bovine cartilage with T1
mapping at 9.4 T. A relatively small difference in diffusion kinetics was
observed between intact and degraded samples, although larger uptake of
contrast agent was observed in degraded samples. Maximum contrast between
intact and degraded superficial cartilage is reached at an early stage,
suggesting that visualization of degenerative changes may be possible prior
to full equilibration.