Evaluating MRI techniques for measuring cartilage properties
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluating the reliability of different MRI techniques for measuring cartilage properties.
IRAS ID
357322
Contact name
Jonathan Fulford
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Of Exeter
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 18 days
Research summary
This study aims to investigate the potential clinical application of MRI scanning technology in measuring knee articular cartilage macrostructural changes caused by OA. The measurements from previously collected data from control group will be compared with the measurements obtained from 30 symptomatic patients (clinical group). The participants will be referred from orthopedic surgery clinics at Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. The study involves one visit, taking 60 minutes. During the visit, the participant's knees will be scanned using a 3T Siemens MRI scanner located at the Mireille Gillings Neuro Imaging Centre,and MRI knee images will be taken using different MRI sequences.
A range of MRI techniques are routinely used to clinically assess the cartilage within the knee. However, these scans typically only look at structural characteristics of the cartilage, for example, thickness and volume. Other scanning sequences are available which may provide more insight into the functional or biochemical status of the cartilage. These include Magnetisation Transfer Imaging (MTI), Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and Relaxation Time Calculations. Although these represent clinically approved scanning sequences they are not routinely employed in the cartilage due to the significant time demands required for post processing (analysis time required after the participant visit). All of these sequences are clinically approved, do not raise any issues
regarding radio-frequency (RF) energy deposition and take approximately 5 minutes each to run.
Measurement of parameters associated with the scanning techniques within the cartilage will be undertaken.REC name
South Central - Oxford B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/SC/0249
Date of REC Opinion
5 Aug 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion