Quantitative 3D T2* Mapping of Meniscus Before and After Meniscal Root Repair at 7 Tesla

Motivation: Meniscal tears are a significant cause of osteoarthritis, and failure rate of meniscal repair remains high. MRI assessment of meniscus at 7T provides high signal-to-noise ratio and allows 3D evaluation of the tissue. Goal(s): Investigate and follow-up meniscal tissue integrity in pre- and post-repair patients. Approach: Quantitative 3D T2* mapping of the lateral and medial menisci in patients with posterior horn root tears in the medial meniscus and compare against matched controls. Results: Significantly increased T2* values were identified beyond the tear in both lateral and medial menisci of pre-repair patients and the values remained significantly elevated six months post-repair. Impact: Utilizing high-resolution 7 Tesla 3D T2* mapping, this study quantitatively and longitudinally assesses meniscal tissue integrity of patients who underwent medial meniscal posterior root tear repair, which has significant impact on management and standard of care for the patients.