Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is commonly used to evaluate the morphology of athletes with high knee impact; however, the biochemical composition of their cartilage is not as well understood. In this study, we utilized voxel-based relaxometry (VBR), a fully automatic registration technique, to compare local distribution of knee articular cartilage T1ρ and T2 relaxation times between high knee impact athletes (basketball players) and non-knee impact athletes (swimmers). Statistical analysis revealed laminar differences near the patella, with basketball players having prolonged values in the deep layer. These findings, amongst others, related well to morphological evaluation of the image set.
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