T2 mapping of the trapeziometacarpal joint and triangular fibrocartilage complex: a feasibility and reproducibility study at 1.5 T.

Abstract

To assess the feasibility and reproducibility of T2 relaxation time measurements of the trapeziometacarpal joint (TM) and triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) on healthy subjects at 1.5T MR. Thirty-four healthy volunteers underwent an axial oblique multislice multiecho spin-echo sequence of the wrist at 1.5T, with 10 of them having performed another MR scan on a different 1.5T scanner. Regions of interest were independently manually drawn by two musculoskeletal radiologists to include the cartilaginous part of the TM and TFCC. Intra-observer, inter-observer and inter-scanner reproducibility of T2 relaxation time measurements was tested using the Bland-Altman method. The mean T2 values obtained by the two radiologists were 29.9 ± 6.5ms and 30.0 ± 6.1ms in the TM and 24.5 ± 2.3ms and 24.6 ± 2.8ms in the TFCC, respectively. The mean values of the second series of T2 measurements obtained by the senior radiologist were 29.9 ± 6.5ms and 30.0 ± 6.3ms in the TM and 24.3 ± 2.9ms in the TFCC. Inter-observer reproducibility in the TM and in the TFCC was 76% and 82%, respectively. Intra-observer reproducibility in the TM and TFCC was 71% and 76%, respectively. Inter-scanner reproducibility of T2 measurements was 36% in the TM and 85% in the TFCC, respectively. The assessment of T2 relaxation time measurements of the cartilage of the TM and the TFCC seems to be feasible and reproducible, although the inter-scanner reproducibility of T2 measurements of the TM is suboptimal. Further studies including patients are warranted to prove the utility of this tool.