Relationship between knee alignment and T1ρ values of articular cartilage and menisci in patients with knee osteoarthritis

Abstract Objective To assess the relationship between knee alignment and subregional T 1 ρ values of the femorotibial cartilage and menisci in patients with mild (Kellgren–Lawrence grade 1) to moderate (KL3) osteoarthritis (OA) at 3 T. Materials and methods 26 subjects with a clinical diagnosis of KL1-3 OA were included and subdivided into three subgroups: varus, valgus, and neutral. All subjects were evaluated on a 3 T MR scanner. Mann–Whitney and Wilcoxon signed rank tests were performed to determine any statistically significant differences in subregional T 1 ρ values of femorotibial cartilage and menisci among the three subgroups of KL1-3 OA patients. Results Medial femoral anterior cartilage subregion in varus group had significantly higher ( p T 1 ρ values than all cartilage subregions in valgus group. Medial tibial central cartilage subregion had significantly higher T 1 ρ values ( p T 1 ρ values ( p Conclusion There exists some degree of association between knee alignment and subregional T 1 ρ values of femorotibial cartilage and menisci in patients with clinical OA