Femoral cartilage ultrasound echo-intensity is a valid measure of cartilage composition.
J Orthop Res
; 42(4): 729-736, 2024 Apr.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37874323
ABSTRACT
This study aimed to create a conversion equation that accurately predicts cartilage magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2 relaxation times using ultrasound echo-intensity and common participant demographics. We recruited 15 participants with a primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction between the ages of 18 and 35 years at 1-5 years after surgery. A single investigator completed a transverse suprapatellar scan with the ACLR limb in max knee flexion to image the femoral trochlea cartilage. A single reader manually segmented the femoral cartilage cross-sectional area to assess the echo-intensity (i.e., mean gray-scale pixel value). At a separate visit, a T2 mapping sequence with the MRI beam set to an oblique angle was used to image the femoral trochlea cartilage. A single reader manually segmented the cartilage cross-sectional area on a single MRI slice to assess the T2 relaxation time. A stepwise, multiple linear regression was used to predict T2 relaxation time from cartilage echo-intensity and common demographic variables. We created a conversion equation using the regression betas and then used an ICC and Bland-Altman plot to assess agreement between the estimated and true T2 relaxation time. Cartilage ultrasound echo-intensity and age significantly predicted T2 relaxation time (F = 7.33, p = 0.008, R2 = 0.55). When using the new conversion equation to estimate T2 relaxation time from cartilage echo-intensity and age, there was strong agreement between the estimated and true T2 relaxation time (ICC2,k = 0.84). This study provides promising preliminary data that cartilage echo-intensity combined with age can be used as a clinically accessible tool for evaluating cartilage composition.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Cartilage, Articular
/
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
/
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
J Orthop Res
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United States