This study aims to quantity the structural morphology of sesamoid fibrocartilage in rabbits, using µMRI at 19.5-µm resolution and polarized light microscopy at 1-µm resolution. We show that the sesamoid fibrocartilage has one thin surface layer (~ 10 µm) of parallel-arranged fibers followed immediately by the majority of random fibers (~ 390 µm). T2 anisotropy was not observed in fibrocartilage. The collagen fibers in the surface layer are dense and in parallel with the surface, which allows it to withstand stress from the quadriceps tendon during flexion, while at the same time to reduce pressure load from the femur.
This abstract and the presentation materials are available to members only; a login is required.