Bi-component T2* modelling is widely applied to tendon to elucidate structural and biochemical properties of tissue. This model does not incorporate magnetization exchange between collagen-bound water and interstitial water pools. This study reports intermediate exchange-rates compared with respective pool relaxation rate estimates, in ex vivo bovine and ovine Achilles tendon, measured using T2–T2 correlation NMR. Intermediate exchange causes the bi-component model to underestimate the population of the rapidly-relaxing pool and overestimate relaxation rates and the population of the slowly-relaxing pool. The two-pool exchange model could be more specific to structural and biochemical changes in tendon with pathology.
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