Abstract
Meniscal tears are a common orthopedic injury, yet their healing is difficult to assess post-operatively. This impedes clinical decisions as the healing status of the meniscus cannot be accurately determined non-invasively. Thus, the objectives of this study were to explore the utility of a goat model and to use quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, histology, and biomechanical testing to assess the healing status of surgically induced meniscal tears. Adiabatic T1ρ, T2, and T2* relaxation times were quantified for both operated and control menisci ex vivo. Histology was used to assign healing status, assess compositional elements, and associate healing status with compositional elements. Biomechanical testing determined the failure load of healing lesions. Adiabatic T1ρ, T2, and T2* were able to quantitatively identify different healing states. Histology showed evidence of diminished proteoglycans and increased vascularity in both healed and non-healed menisci with surgically induced tears. Biomechanical results revealed that increased healing (as assessed histologically and on MRI) was associated with greater failure load. Our findings indicate increased healing is associated with greater meniscal strength and decreased signal differences (relative to contralateral controls) on MRI. This indicates that quantitative MRI may be a viable method to assess meniscal tears post-operatively.
Highlights
To its longer relaxation times, reduced radiofrequency transmit power, and reduced sensitivity to magic angle effects[20]
Sections were binned according to their healing status, as defined by tissue connecting the two sides of the tear evidenced on histology
Based on qualitative assessment of the healing status of the meniscal tears, there was a range of healing states, as defined by tissue connecting the two sides of the tear evidenced on histology
Summary
To its longer relaxation times, reduced radiofrequency transmit power, and reduced sensitivity to magic angle effects[20]. Goats are a useful model for simulating human joints due to their large size and the fact that they walk with their stifles extended, more similar to humans than some other animal models[25]. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential use of a goat model to assess quantitative MRI measures of healing meniscal tears. This study had four objectives: (1) to create meniscal tears with various states of healing in a goat model; (2) to characterize and quantify the healing and morphology of goat meniscal tears using histology; (3) to investigate whether quantitative MRI techniques (adiabatic T1ρ, T2, and UTE-T2* relaxation time mapping) are sensitive in detecting healing status as determined by histological evaluation; and (4) to evaluate the potential of using failure load as a quantitative measure of healing status
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