Meng Chen, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Sirun Liu, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Lin Qiu, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Xiang-Ran Cai, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Si Shen, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Fei Wang, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jing Zhang, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Cici Zhang, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To measure the changes on T1 rho and T2 relaxation times of knee articular cartilage immediately after 30 minutes running and stair activity

3.0T MRI scans were performed in thirty young healthy adults immediately after 30 minutes rest and running respectively. After a week, 3.0T MRI scanswere performed again after 30 minutes stair activity. The T1 rho and T2 mapping sequences were used to evaluate the knee articular cartilage. The cartilage was divided into 6 regions: media and lateral femoral condyle, medial and lateral tibial plateau, patella and trochlea. The patella cartilage was further divided 2 regions: superficial and deep parts.Analysis of variance for random block design data and paired samples t test were performed to estimate the changes on T1 rho and T2 relaxation times.

The T1 rho and T2 value after running and stair activity showed consistent decrease in all region of the knee articular cartilage. The superficial parts of patella cartilage, the lateral trochlea cartilage and the medial tilial plateau cartilage showed significant reduction. The superficial parts oflateral patella cartilage (T1 rho value after 30 min rest, running and stair activity were 54.411±4.159，,48.130±2.17 and 45.734±1.821 respective,p=0.011) , the lateral trochlea cartilage(p=0.000) and the posterior part of medialtibialplateau cartilage(p=0.017) experienced the greatest reduction. The T1 rho and T2 value after stair activity had reduction when compared with the condition after running, but the data did not have statistic significance. The T1 rho and T2 value of the superficial parts experienced significant reduction when compared with the deep parts(p=0.000).

T1 rho and T2 value on knee articular cartilage showed reduction consistently after running and stair activity, suggesting running and stair activity had consistent load distribution on knee articular cartilage. The changes after stair activity were more obvious than running. The lateral patella cartilage, the lateral trochlea cartilage and the posterior part of media tibial plateau cartilage experienced greater reduction, suggesting greater loads were shared in these areas during running and stair activity.

The research exploited articular cartilage changes and loads distribution to physiologic exercise.The study results would be valuable in sports medicine, osteoarthritis and chondromalacia patellae.

Chen, M, Liu, S, Qiu, L, Cai, X, Shen, S, Wang, F, Zhang, J, Zhang, C, The Different Changes of Running and Stair Activity on Knee Articular Cartilage: Quantitative MRI Using T1 rho and T2 Mapping.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14045770.html