Abstract #4227

Biochemical MRI with GagCEST (Glycosaminoglycan Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer Imaging) of Finger Joint Cartilage in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Anja Mller-Lutz¹, Benedikt Ostendorf¹, Christoph Schleich¹, Nadia Khalil¹, Benjamin Schmitt², Vladimir Jellus², Philipp Sewerin¹, Axel Scherer¹, Georg Oeltzschner¹, Gael Pentang¹, Matthias Schneider¹, Gerald Antoch¹, Hans-Jrg Wittsack¹, Falk Miese¹

¹University Dusseldorf, Medical Faculty, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Dusseldorf, NRW, Germany; ²Siemens, Healthcare Sector, Imaging & Therapy Division, Erlangen, BY, Germany

MRI plays an increasing role in the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of arthritis. Next to synovitis, erosions and osteoedema, cartilage composition is of increasing importance in the research of arthritis. gagCEST has recently been demonstrated to be sensitive to alterations in the biochemical composition of cartilage in the knee in patients following cartilage repair surgery as well as in vertebral disks. Our work shows the feasibility of gagCEST imaging in finger joint cartilage in healthy volunteers and patients with rheumatoid arthritis.