MRI Monitoring of Cartilage Repair in the Knee: A Review

Stephan E. Domayer; Götz H. Welsch; Ronald Dorotka; Tallal C. Mamisch; Stefan Marlovits; Pavol Szomolanyi; Siegfried Trattnig

doi:10.1055/s-0028-1100638

Seminars in Musculoskeletal Radiology, Table of Contents

Semin Musculoskelet Radiol 2008; 12(4): 302-317
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1100638

MRI Monitoring of Cartilage Repair in the Knee: A Review

Stephan E. Domayer¹ ^, ² , Götz H. Welsch¹ , Ronald Dorotka² , Tallal C. Mamisch³ , Stefan Marlovits⁴ , Pavol Szomolanyi¹ ^, ⁵ , Siegfried Trattnig¹

¹MR Centre of Excellence, Department of Radiodiagnostics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
²Department of Orthopedics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
³Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland
⁴Department of Trauma Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
⁵Department of Imaging Methods, Institute of Measurement Science, Slovak Academy of Science, Slovakia

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Various treatment options for deep cartilage defects are presently available. The efficacy of bone marrow stimulation with microfracture, of mosaicplasty and of various autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) techniques has been subject to numerous studies recently. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has gained a major role in the assessment of cartilage repair. The introduction of high-field MRI to clinical routine makes high resolution and three-dimensional imaging readily available. New quantitative MRI techniques that directly visualize the molecular structure of cartilage may further advance our understanding of cartilage repair. The clinical evaluation of cartilage repair tissue is a complex issue, and MR imaging will become increasingly important both in research and in clinical routine.

This article reviews the clinical aspects of microfracture, mosaicplasty, and ACI and reports the recent technical advances that have improved MRI of cartilage. Morphological evaluation methods are recommended for each of the respective techniques. Finally, an overview of T2 mapping and delayed gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging of cartilage in cartilage repair is provided.

KEYWORDS

Magnetic Resonance Imaging - autologous chondrocyte transplantation - microfracture - autologous osteochondral transplantation - dGEMRIC - T2 mapping

Full Text

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Siegfried TrattnigM.D.

MR Centre of Excellence, Department of Radiodiagnostics, Medical University of Vienna

Lazarettgasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria

Email: siegfried.trattnig@meduniwien.ac.at