ACCURACY OF FAT-SUPPRESSED 3-DIMENSIONAL SPOILED GRADIENT-ECHO FLASH MR-IMAGING IN THE DETECTION OF PATELLOFEMORAL ARTICULAR-CARTILAGE ABNORMALITIES

PURPOSE: To determine the accuracy of T1-weighted fat-suppressed (FS) three-dimensional (3D) fast low-angle shot (FLASH) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for the detection of articular cartilage abnormalities of the patellofemoral joint. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients w ith suspected internal derangement of the knee were examined with a T1 -weighted FS 3D FLASH sequence and subsequently underwent arthroscopy. The patellofemoral articular cartilage was graded blindly on both the MR and arthroscopic images with a modification of the Noyes classific ation scheme. RESULTS: For the detection of abnormal articular cartila ge of the patellofemoral joint with the FS 3D FLASH sequence, sensitiv ity was 81%, specificity was 97%, and accuracy was 97%. Of the lesions detected on MR images, 77% were graded identically on MR and arthrosc opic images. For the remaining 23%, MR imaging and arthroscopic rating s were within one grade of each other. CONCLUSION: T1-weighted FS 3D F LASH imaging is accurate for the detection and grading of articular ca rtilage abnormalities of the patello-femoral joint.