Quantitative analysis of the effect of exercise on knee cartilage response in healthy adults using T2 mapping / 实用放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effects of exercise on knee cartilage tissue structure using quantitative MR T2 mapping. Methods Sagittal T2 maps of the knee joints of 26 healthy volunteers were obtained by using 3.0T MR before,immediately after, and 1 5 min after running.The original images were classified into three terms of knee cartilage T2 map after postreconstruction.The T2 values of regions of interest (ROC)(T2 pre ,T2 post ,T2 delay )in the superficial,middle and deep cartilage of femoral and tibial joint were measured.Statistical differences of cartilage T2 values of three terms after running were analyzed.Results For the tibial joint cartilage,the T2 pre ,T2 post ,T2 delay were (49.71 ± 1.95)ms,(44.30 ± 2.56)ms,(49.41 ± 1.62)ms in the superficial layer,respectively.The three terms T2 were (42.43 ± 2.23)ms,(39.01 ± 2.37)ms,(41.90±2.28)ms in the middle layer,respectively.The differences were statistically significant(F=55.673,16.759 respectively.P<0.001).While the three terms T2 were (19.39±2.13)ms,(19.20±2.22)ms, (19.49±2.05)ms in the deep layers cartilage,respectively.The differences were not statistically significant(F =0.122,P =0.886).And the differences between T2 pre and T2 post ,T2 post and T2 delay were statistically significant (all P <0.001)in superficial and middle alyers,but there were no significant difference between the T2 pre and T2 delay (P =0.610,0.403,respectively).For the femoral joint cartilage,the T2 pre ,T2 post ,T2 delay were (50.22 ± 1.47)ms,(45.60 ± 2.82)ms,(49.84 ± 1.84)ms in superficial layers,respectively.The three terms T2 were (42.67±2.23)ms,(39.36 ± 1.98)ms,(42.40 ± 2.57)ms in the middle layer,respectively.The differences were statistically significant (F=37.976,16.987 respectively,P<0.001).While the three terms T2 were (20.30±2.73)ms,(20.60±2.44)ms,(20.51± 2.24)ms in the deep layer,the differences were not statistically significant (F =0.098,P =0.907).And the differences between T2 pre and T2 post ,T2 post and T2 delay were statistically significant (all P <0.001)in superficial and middle layers,but there were no significant difference between the T2 pre and T2 delay (P=0.520,0.679,respectively). Spatial distribution of T2 values of articular cartilage from deep to superficial layers showed a ascending trend.T2 maps showed the spatial distribution trend of T2 value change.Conclusion T2 mapping can monitor quantitatively the changes of articular cartilage molecular structure after running.The change of articular cartilage T2 value after exercise is uneven and the change of articular cartilage structure after exercise is reversible.