Reproducibility of T2 relaxation time mapping in a phantom and human knee articular cartilage
Abstract Objective To quantify the reproducibility of knee articular cartilage T2 across a wide range of MR systems. Materials and methods The reproducibility of T2 relaxation time mapping was assessed by measuring the knee of a volunteer (n 1.5 T = 22, n 3T = 13) and a System Standard 130 phantom (n 1.5 T = 19, n 3T = 12) in 38 different clinical MRI scanners at 16 imaging sites. Root-mean-square coefficient of variation (CV RMS ) was used to quantify the reproducibility of T2 at the selected knee cartilage regions of interest (ROI) and the phantom T2 array vials. Results Low-to-moderate inter-scanner variation for the knee ROIs, CV = 2.2% to 22.8%, CV RMS,1.5 T = 9.3%, CV RMS,3 T = 11.0%, was observed. The phantom measurements showed low inter-scanner variation (CV RMS, 1.5 T = 4.7%, CV RMS, 3 T = 2.4%) on the typical cartilage T2 range. Discussion Reproducibility of quantitative T2 can vary between healthcare facilities and scanners but also between the cartilage compartments. The variation is sufficiently small to consider T2 mapping reproducible. Phantom measurements support this result.
Authors
- Antti Paajanen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1763-2990)
- Teija Sainio (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5846-2601)
- Eveliina Lammentausta (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8628-7126)
- Mikko J. Nissi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5678-0689)
- Simo Ojanen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3339-5742)
- Amir Esrafilian (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8321-8528)
- Jari Rautiainen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9125-8688)
- Victor Casula (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0447-2796)
- Petri Kaurola
- Mimmi K. Liukkonen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4634-6803)
- Henri Leskinen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5043-3101)
- Ville Kantola (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9584-7500)
- Nea Pulkkinen
- Jarkko Iivarinen
- Jari Heikkinen
Institutions
- University of Turku (FI)
- University of Eastern Finland (FI)
- Oulu University Hospital (FI)
- Turku University Hospital (FI)
- Kajaani University of Applied Sciences (FI)
- Kuopio University Hospital (FI)
- Lapland Central Hospital (FI)
- Turku PET Centre (FI)
- Central Finland Health Care District (FI)
- South Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (FI)
- Stanford University (US)
- University of Oulu (FI)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics Biology and Medicine
- Published
- 2026-08-21
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-026-01406-y
- Primary Topic
- Advanced MRI Techniques and Applications
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Itä-Suomen Yliopisto
- European Commission
- Academy of Finland
- Aalto-Yliopisto
- Kuopion Yliopistollinen Sairaala
- Vaasan Keskussairaala
- Tays
- Turun Yliopistollinen Keskussairaala
- Seinäjoen Keskussairaala
- Etelä-Savon Rahasto
- Luonnontieteiden ja Tekniikan Tutkimuksen Toimikunta
- HORIZON EUROPE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions