Magnetic resonance imaging at 7.0 T for evaluation of early lesions of epiphyseal plate and epiphyseal end in a rat model of Kashin-Beck disease

Kashin–Beck disease (KBD) is a disabling osteoarticular disease involving growth and joint cartilage. Early diagnosis can effectively prevent the progress of the disease. However, the early diagnosis of it is still very difficult. Our aim was to study the knee joint lesions of a rat KBD model using ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and compare it with X-ray imaging to analyze the possible MRI manifestations of KBD, and to further explore ways to determine the pathological damage of KBD in the early stage. A total of 96 Wistar rats were selected and randomly divided into 4 groups: normal diet (Group A), KBD-affected diet (Group B), normal diet+T-2 toxin (Group C), and KBD-affected diet+T-2 toxin (Group D). T-2 toxin was administered at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg/day. In the 4th week, 8th week, and 12th week, eight rats randomly selected in each group were sacrificed by cervical dislocation after undergoing X-ray and 7.0 T MRI imaging, and then knee joints were harvested, sliced, and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. Characteristic image changes including of continuity interruption and early closure and fusion of epiphyseal plates were observed on T1WI in rat model of KBD. The total necrosis rates in the H&E stain of group A to group D were 4.35, 52.38, 33.3, and 73.68%, respectively. The positive rate of image change under 7.0 T MRI was 0.833 VS. that under X-ray was 0.33 (P = 0.001). MRI at 7.0 T is highly sensitive to the early pathological changes of the epiphysis, epiphyseal plate, and metaphyseal end, which can improve imaging positive rate of KBD and decrease the rate of missed diagnosis. This imaging modality can be used for research on early joint lesions and for early diagnosis of KBD.