The effect of magnetization transfer in meniscal fibrocartilage

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Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging of the knee was performed in 28 patients (ages 15–72 years), using a 1.5-T unit. Volume gradient echo (3D GRASS) acquisition with and without presaturation off-resonance RF pulse was used to evaluate magnetization transfer (MT) effects, determined by placing regions of Interest on muscle, fat, hyaline, and fibrocartilage; the percent change in signal intensity was calculated and compared using a paired two-sample t test. An in vitro study of the normal meniscus from a cadaver containing a scalpel cut extending to an articular surface was performed to observe the relative improvement in contrast in the presence of a small meniscal defect. MR imaging of the specimen was performed using an Omega CSI 2.0–T system (General Electric Medical Systems, Fremont, CA). Analysis of clinical images resulted in signal loss, compared to that of the identically timed and tuned non-MT images of 47 ± 5, 8 ± 5, 49 ± 5, and 57 ± 7% for muscle, fat, articular cartilage and fibrocartilage, respectively. Application of MT improved the depiction of the artificially introduced meniscal defect. Meniscal fibrocartilage demonstrates significant MT effect after application of off-resonance RF presaturation, which may improve visualization of meniscal defects.
Funding Information
  • National Institutes of Health (GM 48633)