Human knee: In vivo T1(p)-weighted MR imaging at 1.5 T - Preliminary experience

A fast spin-echo sequence weighted with a time constant that defines the ma gnetic relaxation of spins under the influence of a radio-frequency field ( T1(rho)) was used in six subjects to measure magnetic resonance (MR) relaxa tion times in the knee joint with a 1.5-T MR imager. A quantitative compari son of T2- and T1(rho)-weighted MR images was also performed. Substantial T 1(rho) dispersion was demonstrated in human articular cartilage, but muscle did not demonstrate much dispersion. Tl-rho-weighted images depicted a cho ndral lesion with 25% better signal-difference-to-noise ratios than compara ble T2-weighted images. This technique may depict cartilage and muscular ab normalities.