Single- and Bicomponent Analyses of T2 Relaxation in Knee Tendon and Ligament by Using 3D Ultrashort Echo Time Cones (UTE Cones) Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Figure 2

Selected 3D UTE Cones images and region-of-interest (ROI) shown in a patella tendon (PT) sample with red lines, a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) sample with yellow lines, and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sample with blue lines (a), followed by histology in the ROI of the PT (b), PCL (c), and ACL (d), where collagen is arranged in tightly cohesive well-demarcated bundles (stain: hematoxylin and eosin; original magnification, 200), as well as single- and bicomponent fitting (e, f, g) of interleaved multiecho UTE image acquired at TE (0.2/3.3/15 ms, 0.5/5.5/20 ms, 0.8/8/25 ms, and 2.1/11/30 ms of a 45-year-old female cadaver). All bicomponent fitting shows superior over single-component fitting. Dashed lines represent the estimated T2 curve and solid black circles represent the data points.

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