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T1Ρ and T2 Mapping Magnetic Resonance Imaging as Predictors of Cartilage Loss in Early Anterior Cruciate Ligament
Raavi Harshaditya Krishna1, Ankit Kumar Garg2, Shubham Gupta3
1Department of Radiology, Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Introduction:
Early cartilage degeneration after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury often precedes structural changes detectable on conventional imaging.
Aim:
To evaluate the role of T1ρ and T2 mapping magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting early cartilage changes and predicting cartilage loss in ACL-injured knees.
Materials And Methods:
A multicentric prospective observational study was conducted on 50 patients with early ACL injury. Quantitative MRI with T1ρ and T2 mapping was performed to assess cartilage composition and thickness. The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee, and written informed consent was obtained from all patients before inclusion.
Results:
ACL-injured knees demonstrated elevated T1ρ and T2 values along with reduced cartilage thickness. Higher relaxation times correlated with early cartilage degeneration, particularly in patients with longer injury duration and associated meniscal pathology.
Conclusion:
T1ρ and T2 mapping MRI are effective non-invasive tools for early detection of cartilage degeneration and may aid in predicting cartilage loss following ACL injury.
