Knee Positioning Influences Cartilage Thickness but Not Volume in MRI Segmentation

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of knee positioning on the volume and thickness of nine femoral cartilage segments, as variations in knee alignment can affect measurements. Eight volunteers underwent a test-retest scan using a 3D DESS sequence in five knee positions. Knee position angles were measured in axial view and correlated to cartilage volume and thickness in the femoral region. We found that knee positioning during measurement has minimal impact on femoral cartilage volume. However, the thickness of the lateral anterior and central trochlear femur cartilage is affected.