Jianting Li¹, Jinliang Niu¹, Wenjin Bian², and Wenqi Wu^1
1The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China, ²Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China

    The mortality rate for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is still high. Cytogenetic features are the most important prognostic parameter, and the most appropriate treatment of intermediate risk AML (IR-AML), which accounts for about 60% of AML, is controversial. Our study suggested that the D value obtained from intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) could play a potential role in predicting treatment response of IR-AML patients. Moreover, f value and D* value in an IVIM model can independently predict OS of patients with IR-AML. These findings suggest that IVIM parameters can be useful imaging markers to predict prognosis for IR-AML.

Natasha M. Bzowey¹, Marianne S. Black², Lumeng Cui³, Chelsey S. Thorson¹, Madeline M. Martel¹, and Emily J. McWalter^1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, ²Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States, ³Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada

The aim of this work was to identify focal changes in T2 relaxation times inside and outside regions of tibiofemoral contact in loaded cadaver knee articular cartilage. We used a cluster analysis approach to identify focal regions of change in T2 relaxation time. We found clusters of increased and decreased T2 relaxation time when the cartilage was loaded; the majority of the clusters of decreased T2 relaxation time were observed within the tibial and femoral cartilage contact area.

Lingling Liu¹, Henan Liu², Zhiming Zhen³, Yalan Zheng³, Xiaoyue Zhou⁴, Esther Raithel⁵, Jiang Du⁶, Yan Hu⁷, Wei Chen³, and Xiaofei Hu^3
1Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University, chongqing, China, ²Department of nuclear medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University, chongqing, China, ³First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University, chongqing, China, ⁴Siemens Healthineers Ltd., shanghai, China, ⁵MR Application Predevelopment, Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Erlangen, Germany, ⁶Health Service Training Base of the Army Military Medical University., chongqing, China, ⁷Health Service Training Base of the Army Military Medical University, chongqing, China

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the preferred choice for evaluating knee joint injury, which commonly occurs during physical training. In this study, we compared the effects of long-walking and regular daily training on knee joint injuries and cartilage microstructure in 23 young freshmen by analyzing 3D-DESSWE and T2 mapping images using the automatic cartilage segmentation prototype software. Our results demonstrated that regular daily training strengthens the knee joints and protects against knee joint injury by increasing the volume of the knee cartilage. Moreover, knee joint injury caused by short-term long walking and high-intensity pull training was reversible. 

Mei Wu^1,2, Ya-jun Ma², Zhouchonghao Wu², Yanping Xue², Yanting Zheng¹, Zhao Wei², Saeed Jerban², Hyungseok Jang², Douglas G Chang³, Liheng Ma⁴, Eric Y Chang^2,5, and Jiang Du^2
1Radiology, Guangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China, ²Radiology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States, ³Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States, ⁴Imaging Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China, ⁵Radiology Service, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States

This study aims to evaluate cartilage degeneration using 3D UTE-Cones-AdiabT_1r imaging at 3T. In total 66 human subjects were recruited. KL and WORMS were evaluated by two MSK radiologists. The performance in evaluating cartilage degeneration was assessed via Spearman’s correlation coefficient and the area under the curve (AUC) calculated according to the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Higher UTE-Cones-AdiabT_1r values were observed in larger and deeper cartilage lesions. The diagnostic threshold of UTE-Cones-AdiabT_1r for mild cartilage degeneration was 39.4 ms with 80.8% sensitivity and 63.5% specificity. The AUC value for mild cartilage degeneration (WORMS=1) was 0.8 according to the ROC curves.

 

Erin C Argentieri¹, Andrew C Zhu², Sonia Bansal², Amanda Wach², Ashley Pekmezian², Ryan E Breighner¹, Hollis G Potter¹, Suzanne A Maher², and Matthew F Koff^1
1Radiology and Imaging, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, United States, ²Biomechanics, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, United States

 Unloaded and loaded tibial cartilage T1ρ and T2 values were evaluated regionally. Only T1ρ, significantly changed from the unloaded-to-loaded condition. Shortening of loaded T1ρ values may be attributed to matrix water loss due to PG damage and attendant loss of the cartilage FCD. Though not all regions exhibited significant changes in unloaded-to-loaded T1ρ values, previous work demonstrated that tibial cartilage tissue and fibril strains follow the pattern of changes in FCD distribution.  Inter-regional T2 variation increased from unloaded-to-loaded conditions, suggesting that T2 values were affected by a decreased FCD of cartilage that allowed water to move more freely between regions.

Ville Kantola¹, Jouni Karjalainen¹, Tomi Jaakola¹, Henri Leskinen², Mikko Nissi^1,2, Miika Nieminen^1,3,4, and Victor Casula^1,4
1Research Unit of Magnetic Imaging, Physics and Technology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland, ²University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland, ³Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland, ⁴Medical Research Center, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland

Multiple studies have investigated the orientation dependence of T₂ and T_1ρ relaxation in articular cartilage using ultra-high field magnets. This study aims to replicate these findings in a clinical measurement setting, performing a series of measurements at multiple orientations on a 3 T clinical scanner using large ex vivo joint samples. Function of a previously suggested relaxation model was confirmed in a low field-strength environment. Anisotropic components of T₂ and T_1ρ relaxation varied widely depending on the measured parameter, the spin-lock frequency, the magnetization preparation used for the spin-lock experiment (continuous wave/adiabatic), and the considered cartilage layer (superficial/deep half).

Edward J Peake^1,2, Tom D Turmezei^3,4, and Dorothee P Auer^1,2
1Radiological Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom, ²NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom, ³Department of Radiology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich, United Kingdom, ⁴Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom

Pain is a hallmark of knee osteoarthritis, a chronic condition with considerable health and socioeconomic burden. Osteoarthritic changes of the knee cartilage are often used as an outcome marker for clinical trials, but only weakly associated with pain. In this study, we aimed to examine the topographic correlation between intensity differences in knee cartilage MRI and knee pain. Voxel based morphometry (VBM) is used with linear effects modelling to show the spatial localization of knee OA contributing to pain. Local maxima and clusters with extents with P<0.05 are determined using random field theory.

Simon Kuhn¹, Aurélien Bustin^1,2,3, Aicha Lamri-Senouci¹, Simone Rumac¹, Jean-Baptiste Ledoux^1,4, Roberto Colotti⁵, Jessica A. M. Bastiaansen^1,6,7, Jérôme Yerly^1,4, Julien Favre⁸, Patrick Omoumi¹, and Ruud B. van Heeswijk^1
1Department of Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland, ²Department of Cardiovascular Imaging, Hôpital Cardiologique du Haut-Lévêque, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France, ³IHU LIRYC Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France, ⁴CIBM Center for BioMedical Imaging, Lausanne, Switzerland, ⁵In Vivo Imaging Facility (IVIF), Department of Research and Training, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland, ⁶Department of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology (DIPR), Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland, ⁷Translational Imaging Center, Sitem-Insel, Bern, Switzerland, ⁸Department of Musculoskeletal Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland

We implemented and compared three different reconstructions for 3D T₂ mapping of the knee: I) a standard image reconstruction followed by an analytical fit, II) a standard image reconstruction followed by a dictionary fit, and III) a denoised image reconstruction followed by a dictionary fit. We optimized and compared these techniques in phantoms, five healthy volunteers, and five patients with mild osteoarthritis. The third reconstruction resulted in the highest accuracy and precision while retaining the spatial resolution, and allowed the load-bearing cartilage in the mild-OA patients to be differentiated from that in the healthy volunteers.

Swetha Pala¹, Olli Nykänen^1,2, Nina Hänninen^1,2, Ali Mohammadi¹, Mohammadhossein Ebrahimi^1,2, Nikae te Moller³, Harold Brommer³, P René van Weeren³, Janne T.A Mäkelä¹, Rami K Korhonen¹, Juha Töyräs^1,4,5, Santtu Mikkonen¹, and Mikko J Nissi^1,2
1Department of Applied Physics, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland, ²Research Unit of Medical Imaging, Physics and Technology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland, ³Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands, ⁴Science Service Center, University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland, ⁵School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, The University Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

In this study, we examined the variation in T1 relaxation times in a mild OA model of surgically grooved (sharp and blunt) articular cartilage of equine carpal joints. The study revealed that T1 relaxation time is significantly increased in bluntly-grooved cartilage with respect to control cartilage. No significant differences between sharply-grooved and control groups were seen for T1 relaxation. Moreover, strong variations in T1 relaxation times and proteoglycan (PG) contents were observed in the superficial half of the cartilage. T1 relaxation times correlated weakly (R≈0.33) with equilibrium mechanical modulus and with PG content (R≈0.23).

Yang Xia¹, Hannah Mantebea¹, Syeda Batool¹, Amanveer Singh¹, Mohammed Hammami¹, and Farid Badar^1
1Oakland Univ, Rochester Hills, MI, United States

Immature and mature articular cartilage from the humeral joints of rabbits were studied quantitatively and at microscopic resolutions by µMRI and polarized light microscopy (PLM). µMRI data revealed a number of differences between the immature and mature cartilage, including total thickness and T2 relaxation values. PLM data revealed in addition the cellular differences between the tissues. The mature cartilage has a clearly defined tidemark, which was absent in the immature tissue. The ability to differentiate specific maturation-related characteristics in cartilage could benefit translational studies of degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis.

Jessica Lauren Asay¹, Anthony Andrea Gatti¹, Arjun Divyang Desai^1,2, Akshay Chaudhari^1,3, Valentina Mazzoli¹, Feliks Kogan¹, and Garry Evan Gold^1,4,5
1Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States, ²Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States, ³Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States, ⁴Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States, ⁵Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States

Quantitative MRI can be used to track subtle cartilage microstructure changes within a subject, which could be helpful in the early detection, treatment, and prevention of osteoarthritis. Increased field strength may offer higher resolution for detecting these changes. This study demonstrated the repeatability of mean T₂ relaxation times measured at 3T and 7T. Full thickness cartilage T₂ relaxation times at 3T and 7T had excellent ICCs, with CVs at 3T generally lower than 7T. This study suggests 3T and 7T measures are repeatable and can be used in longitudinal studies of cartilage changes.

Lijie Zhong¹, Jiaping Hu¹, Shaolong Chen², Yanjun Chen¹, Zhongping Zhang³, Yingjie Mei³, Zhiyong Zhang², and Xiaodong Zhang^1
1Department of Medical Imaging, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China, ²School of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China, ³China International Center, Philips Healthcare, Guangzhou, China

Cartilage degeneration and subchondral bone alterations play an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA). MRI can detect morphological or compositional change of cartilage and bone. Regional analysis of cartilage and bone lesions would significantly improve the diagnosis of OA and help to understand its role in OA. Automated segmentation of cartilage and bone on MRI is a necessary first step for quantitative measures. Therefore, we proposed an optimized U-net (PSA-U-net++) to solve the problem of sub-regional segmentation of bone and cartilage. The initiatory results showed that our model can accurately  segment cartilage and bone.

Koren Roach¹, Misung Han¹, Thomas Link¹, Richard Souza¹, Sharmila Majumdar¹, and Valentina Pedoia^1
1UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States

Our group recently developed simultaneous bilateral hip MR acquisition methods to reduce total imaging time and employ during longitudinal evaluations of hip OA. This study evaluated the ability of simultaneous bilateral 3D FSE Cube and MAPSS acquisitions to maintain relevant morphological information compared to unilateral acquisitions. The mean T_1ρ and T₂ values of the simultaneous bilateral MAPSS acquisitions were not significantly different from unilateral acquisitions and relaxometry map patterns were preserved. Additionally, our simultaneous bilateral hip protocol promoted high resolution 3D Cube images for morphological abnormality detection and reduced scan time by 40%, to under 30 minutes. 

Hou Bowen¹, Chanyuan Liu¹, Yitong Li¹, Yan Xiong¹, Jingyi Wang¹, Weiyin Vivian Liu², and Xiaoming Li^1
1Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, China, ²GE Healthcare, Beijing, China

Lumbar degenerative disease increases with age and is common in the elderly population. The symptoms caused by the osseous degeneration affect the quality of life. Zero echo time (ZTE) sequence could capture and reveal short-T2 materials, allowing to obtain osseous information without ionizing radiation. The ZTE performed similarly to multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) on the ordinal variables and most measurements of osseous spine. ZTE-MRI could offer more cortical bone details than conventional MRI images and might be a valid alternative to CT for assessment of lumbar osseous morphology to some extent.

Usha Sinha¹, Vadim Malis², Brandon Cunnane¹, Ning Jin³, and Shantanu Sinha^2
1Physics, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States, ²Radiology, UC San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States, ³Siemens Medical Solutions, Cleveland, OH, United States

The 4D CS-Flow sequence can be applied to image calf muscle motion during isometric contraction in order to extract 3D Strain tensors.  The ability to extract the full 3D strain tensors should enable one to answer questions related to muscle deformation anisotropy in the transverse plane, volumetric strain and maximum shear strains.