DIAGNOSIS OF EARLY STAGES OF OSTEOARTHRIT IS IN MRI

Plain radiographs are not suitable for detection of early stages of os teoarthritis. Up to now MRI is the only non-invasive method for imagin g of the cartilage layer. According to the current literature deep fis fissures and full thickness cartilage defects of the cartilage can be detected with the help of MRI before changes in plain radiographs occ ure. The grading of cartilage fibrillations and superficial fissures i s not possible with high reliability. Depending on the grade of osteoa rthrosis changes of T-1- and T-2-relaxation times and differences of t he signal intensity can be seen. However, up to now no reliable gradin g system of degenerative cartilage changes exists by the means of sign al intensity measurements or by determining T-1- and T-2-relaxation ti mes. Correlations of signal intensities of the cartilage layer with bi ochemical analysis of the cartilage have been found, but only little i nformation exists about the influence of the composition of cartilage on the MRI signal.