Ultrastructural MR imaging techniques of the knee articular cartilage: problems for routine clinical application

The high incidence of cartilage lesions together with new surgical treatment techniques have necessitated the development of noninvasive cartilage evaluation techniques. Although arthroscopy has been the standard for cartilage evaluation, MR imaging has emerged as the imaging method of choice, allowing morphological evaluation of cartilage and cartilage repair tissue, as well as evaluation of its biochemical content. This article deals with current ultrastructural MR imaging techniques for cartilage evaluation, indicating the advantages as well as the drawbacks for routine clinical application.