In vivo high-resolution MRI (7T) of femoro-tibial cartilage changes in the rat anterior cruciate ligament transection model of osteoarthritis: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: To assess OA-related changes in mean compartmental femorotibial cartilage thickness in rat knees by three-dimensional (3D) MRI (7T).

Methods: MRI was performed in vivo at 7T on OA and untouched contralateral knee joints. Gradient Echo Fast Imaging 3D MR images were acquired sequentially in surgically induced OA (D0) in 40 Wistar rats (anterior cruciate ligament transection).

A dedicated two-channel phased-array receiver coil for high-resolution MRI of the rat knee cartilage at 7 T.

In the field of small animal studies, the array coil imaging has become increasingly important. In this paper, a dedicated two-channel array coil operating at 300 MHz (7 T) for high-resolution MRI (HR-MRI) of the rat knee cartilage is presented. The average gain in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) compared to a 15-mm multipurpose surface coil was 2.

In vivo rat knee cartilage volume measurement using quantitative high resolution MRI (7 T): feasibility and reproducibility.

Objectives: to assess reliability and reproducibility of quantitative MRI (7 T) in assessing rat femoro-tibial cartilage volume.

Methods: 5 healthy rat knees were scanned in vivo using a 7 T experimental imager. Sagittal high resolution 3D Gradient Echo with fat suppression sequences were performed with a dedicated home-made 2-elements array coil.