• 7 Tesla
• Cartilage Imaging
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Ultra-high-field technology

Abstract
Objective: The purposes of this study are to optimize cartilage-dedicated sequences for in vivo articular cartilage imaging at 7 Tesla MRI and to investigate the diagnostic potential of UHF in detecting early changes of the articular cartilage related to the physiological aging, focusing on the feasibility and the results of in vivo T2 and T2* mapping.
Materials and methods: Until now 12 healthy subjects of different age (<50 yrs, n=7, mean age = 37.32 ± 10.21; >50 yrs , n=5, 58.7 ± 5.14) were recruited for the study. Inclusion criteria were absence of clinical symptoms and no history of previous knee surgery or significant knee trauma. All the subjects underwent MR knee examination at 7 T whole-body system.
Results: The mean T2 and T2* maps values were obtained for all 12 subjects. The average T2 maps values were 26,5 ms ± 1,5 and 29,5 ms ± 1,7 respectively for under 50 years and over 50 years aged subjects. The mean T2* maps values were 21,1 ms ± 2,2 and 25,6 ms ± 1,6 for under 50 years and over 50 years aged volunteers respectively. Our preliminary data revealed a significant correlation between both the increase in the T2 and T2* maps values and subjects age (p=0,0192* and p=0,082* respectively).
Conclusion: The number of subjects imaged until now it is still limited but according to our project, totally 30 subjects will undergo MR examination. We cannot have precise data at the moment. However we obtained the mean T2 and T2* values for under 50 years and over 50 years aged subjects. Our preliminary data revealed the T2 and T2* values increase with the subjects age, in according to literature data. An expansion of the sample in study will be necessary to describe the extent of this correlation.