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Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the knee: an experimental approach

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for monitoring cartilage degeneration.

Methods

This is a proof-of-concept study in an animal model. Adult New Zealand rabbits were randomly stratified into five groups. Papain was injected intra-articularly in the right knee in four groups to establish the stages of cartilage degeneration. The left knee and group 5 served as controls. Bilateral MRI was performed 24 h after the initial injection of papain, and 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months following three papain injections. Injection of the contrast agent was followed by bilateral MRI examination immediately upon injection, and at 2 and 4 h post-injection. Signal intensities of articular cartilage and peripheral soft tissues were obtained before animals were sacrificed. Post-mortem bilateral cartilage specimens were studied histologically.

Results

Histopathology results verified the staged degeneration of papain-treated articular cartilage. Differences in cartilage signal intensity were significant for the staged model using a special three-dimensional MRI method (P < 0.05) but not using ordinary MRI. No differences were observed within or between the control groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

Contrast-enhanced MRI examination may be a viable tool for early diagnosis of osteoarticular disease. Prospective studies are warranted to evaluate the potential for clinical application.

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Acknowledgment

We acknowledge funding by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Imaging Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, 613#, West of Huang Pu Street, Guangzhou, Guang Dong, 510630, People’s Republic of China

    Sirun Liu, Si Shen, Tianyuan Zhu, Wenbin Liang, Li Huang, Hanfang Chen & Hejia Wu

Authors
  1. Sirun Liu
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  2. Si Shen
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  3. Tianyuan Zhu
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  4. Wenbin Liang
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  5. Li Huang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sirun Liu.

Supplementary Material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

S-Figure 1

i Group B right knee (treatment) 4 h after injection of gadolinium, scanned with 3D-FS-SPGR. ii Group B left knee (saline control) 4 h after injection of gadolinium, scanning with 3D-FS-SPGR. The treatment side appears clearer than the control side (GIF 31 KB).

High resolution image file (TIF 59 KB)

S-Figure 2

i Group C right knee (treatment) 2 h after injection of gadolinium, scanned with 3D-FS-SPGR. ii Group C right knee (treatment) 4 hours after injection of gadolinium, scanned with 3D-FS-SPGR: low signal intensity is seen in the cartilage of the lateral condyle of the femur (GIF 32 KB).

High resolution image file (TIF 60 KB)

S-Figure 3

Group C (1-month group) processing side (right knee): the destroyed fraction of articular cartilage can be seen. The cartilage cells are distributed in a disorderly array, and the cartilage matrix shows fibrosis. (HE ×40) (GIF 58 KB)

High resolution image file (TIF 70 KB)

S-Figure 4

i Group D (3-month group) processing side (right knee) with T1 weight imaging, plain scan. ii Group D (3-month group) processing side (right knee) with 3D-FS-SPGR, plain scan: the articular cartilage appears thin and may even disappear (GIF 28 KB).

High resolution image file (TIF 49 KB)

S-Figure 5

i Group D (3-month group) processing (right knee): the cartilage cells show proliferation but the basic structure has disappeared. Fibrosis can be seen. The control group and the blank group also show light degeneration on the articular surface of the cartilage. (HE ×40). ii Group D (3-month group) processing (right knee): acid mucopolysaccharide blue-stain is faint, almost disappearing. (Alcian blue staining ×40) (GIF 123 KB).

High resolution image file (TIF 214 KB)

S-Table 1

Summarized SIR results for the saline control and the blank control, with SE-T1WI and 3D-FS-SPGR MRI scans (DOC 75 KB)

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Liu, S., Shen, S., Zhu, T. et al. Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the knee: an experimental approach. Skeletal Radiol 39, 885–890 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-008-0645-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-008-0645-y

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