Shear wave elastography and T2* mapping in the detection of early-stage trochlear cartilage damage

The presence of degenerative changes in joint cartilage is one of the major features in osteoarthritis.

To investigate the contribution of shear wave elastography and T2* mapping to the early diagnosis of femoral trochlear cartilage damage.

A total of 30 individuals whose trochlear cartilage structure was evaluated as normal in conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences (control group) were prospectively compared with 30 patients who had early-stage cartilage damage findings on conventional MRI (study group), by performing B-mode ultrasonography, shear wave elastography, and T2* mapping. Cartilage thickness, shear wave, and T2* mapping measurements were recorded.

After evaluating B-mode ultrasound and conventional MRI sequences, cartilage thickness was found to be significantly higher in the study group on both B-mode ultrasound and MRI. Shear wave velocity values of the study group (medial condyle [MC] 4.65 ± 1.11 m/sn, intercondylar [IC] 4.74 ± 1.20 m/sn, and lateral condyle [LC] 5.42 ± 1.48 m/sn) were observed to be significantly lower than the control group (MC 5.60 ± 0.77 m/sn, IC 5.85 ± 0.96 m/sn, and LC 5.63 ± 1.05 m/sn) (P < 0.05). T2* mapping values were significantly higher in the study group (MC 32.38 ± 4.04 ms, IC 35.78 ± 4.85 ms, and LC 34.04 ± 3.40 ms) than that of the control group (MC 28.07 ± 3.29 ms, IC 30.63 ± 3.45 ms, and LC 29.02 ± 3.24 ms).

Shear wave elastography and T2* mapping are reliable methods for evaluating early-stage trochlear cartilage damage.