Review: Magnetic resonance imaging of normal and osteoarthritic cartilage.

(MRI) has been slow to gain acceptance for cartilage evaluation because of its limited spatial resolution and because of the poor contrast between cartilage and adjacent structures. Continual improvement in gradient performance and coil design and the development of more efficient pulse sequences have overcome many of the early limitations of MIU. These improvements make possible high-resolution multiplanar and 3-dimensional (3-D) images with a wide variety of contrast. In this article, we present recent refinements in MRI of cartilage and offer a key for interpreting the wide range of images that are produced. Technical factors in MRI The pattern of cartilage as seen on MRT depends on spatial resolution and contrast. These factors are related to the choice of sequence and can be modified in various ways by the addition of pulses and contrast agents. In some cases, artifacts can greatly affect the quality of the images of hyaline cartilage.

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