Talar and Subtalar T1ρ Relaxation Times in Limbs with and without Chronic Ankle Instability

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Radiology

Background:

• Chronic ankle instability (CAI) affects joint health and may predispose individuals to osteoarthritis.
• Articular cartilage composition changes are early indicators of joint degeneration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare articular cartilage composition in the talocrural and subtalar joints (STJ) between the involved and contralateral limbs of individuals with unilateral CAI and healthy controls.
• To investigate the association between talocrural and STJ cartilage composition in limbs with and without CAI.

Main Methods:

• T1ρ magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) relaxation times were used to assess cartilage composition.
• Fifteen individuals with CAI and 15 healthy controls were included.
• Talocrural and STJ cartilage were segmented to calculate T1ρ relaxation time means and variability, with higher values indicating lower proteoglycan content.

Main Results:

• Individuals with CAI showed higher talocrural T1ρ mean and variability in the involved limb compared to the contralateral and control limbs.
• The involved limb in CAI also exhibited higher posterior STJ T1ρ mean compared to the healthy control limb.
• A positive association between talocrural and posterior STJ composition was observed in healthy controls but not in CAI limbs.

Conclusions:

• Individuals with CAI have reduced proteoglycan content in the talocrural and posterior STJ of their involved limbs.
• These cartilage composition changes suggest the potential early development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis in CAI.
• T1ρ MRI is a valuable tool for detecting early cartilage changes in CAI.