Comprehensive zonal assessment of meniscal degeneration using quantitative UTE MRI
Authors' conclusion
The study highlights the potential of UTE measurements to differentiate normal meniscal zonal composition and detect early changes due to degeneration, offering a promising tool for comprehensive knee-OA assessment and treatment monitoring.
Study context
- Population
- Volunteers (mean age 55±17 years; 30 females; 46 with radiographic osteoarthritis (OA))
- Participants
- 178 meniscal regions
- Exposure
- Meniscal zones and meniscal degeneration grades 1–3
- Grade-1n = 65reference
- Grade-2n = 80
- Grade-3n = 33
- Outcome
- UTE-T1, MMF (UTE-magnetization-transfer (UTE-MT)), UTE-T1ρ and UTE-T2* in meniscal RR, RW and WW zones across degeneration grades
Methodological detailsquantitative UTE MRI, zonal analysis (RR, red-white (RW), white-white (WW))
- Quantitative UTE MRI
- Zonal analysis (RR, RW, WW)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Significant differences in all UTE measurements between the three zones in normal menisci
- Zonal differences less distinct with increasing degeneration
- Within each zone, T1, T1ρ and T2* significantly increased with increasing degeneration
- Within each zone, MMF decreased significantly with increasing degeneration
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Comprehensive zonal assessment of meniscal degeneration using quantitative UTE MRI. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. Published 18 December 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →