Evaluation of chondral injuries by magnetic resonance imaging: Repair assessments

Magnetic resonance (MR) is a versatile imaging modality that can be tailored to address many of the clinical and research questions encountered in musculoskeletal diseases. Developments in MR techniques for cartilage imaging have paralleled the advances in clinical approaches to cartilage injury assessment and repair This article reviews the current state-of-the-art clinical MR imaging methods designed for noninvasive evaluation of cartilage. Basic technical considerations are discussed, including selection of an imaging site for patient referral, interpretation of MR images, and the limitations of each acquisition technique. Clinical examples are used to illustrate the appearance of chondral lesions. Finally, the unique issues arising from cartilage assessment after surgical repair are examined.