Normal and degenerating articular cartilage: in vitro correlation of MR imaging and histologic findings

Histologic correlation of the different magnetic resonance (MR) appearances of articular cartilage has not been studied extensively. Therefore, the authors correlated thin (high-resolution) MR sections of articular cartilage with histologic sections. Human cadaver lumbar facet joints were imaged with a 1-mm section thickness and a 4-cm field of view, then sectioned and stained for histologic comparison. MR imaging patterns were identified that correlated with normal cartilage and three histologically different patterns of degeneration.