T1rho relaxation in articular cartilage : a literature review

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease that affects the cartilage of weight-bearing joints. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive imaging method that is widely used for diagnosing OA. T1rho relaxation, or spin-lattice relaxation in the rotating frame, is a MRI technique that has been identified as a potential marker for changes in articular cartilage during the early stages of osteoarthritis. This thesis is a literature review of articles investigating the mechanisms behind T1rho relaxation. The review includes studies on T1rho relaxation in different biochemical environments that mimic native cartilage, in vitro models of OA, and in human studies of osteoarthritis patients. The findings suggest that T1rho relaxation could be used reliably in detecting OA.