T1 and T2* Relaxometry MRI of Knee Growth Plate Using Ultra-Short TE MRI: Feasibility Study

Growth plates are one of the most common sites of injury in the young skeleton. The growth plate is an interwoven and multi-layered interfacial tissue that transitions from cartilaginous to mineral morphology as it extends into metaphysis of long bones. We used Ultrashort Echo-time (UTE) MR imaging as a promising sensitive technique to detect the growth plate transition that has short T2. The UTE sequence was extended to measure T2* and T1 using multi-echoes and variable flip angles. The contrast of the transitional zone was further enhanced by a ratio of T1 over T2*.