Reliability of Tibiofemoral Contact Area and Centroid Location in an Upright, Open MRI (UO-MRI)
Abstract Background: In biomechanical studies using conventional closed-bore MR, imaging cannot be performed during natural weightbearing which has necessitated simulating weightbearing load on the joint. Upright, open MRI (UO-MRI) allows for joint imaging during natural weightbearing and may have the potential to better characterize the biomechanical effect of tibiofemoral pathology involving soft tissues. However open MRI scanners have lower field strengths than closed-bore scanners, which limits the image quality that can be obtained. Thus, there is a need to establish the reliability of measurements in upright weightbearing postures obtained via the UO-MRI.Methods: Manual segmentation of cartilage regions in contact from participants with prior anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture was performed and centroids of those contact areas were automatically determined for the medial (MC) and lateral (LC) tibiofemoral compartments. To assess reliability, inter-rater, test-retest, and intra-rater reliability were determined by intra-class correlation (ICC3,1), standard error of measurement (SEM), smallest detectable change with 95% confidence (SDC95). Accuracy was assessed by using a high-resolution, 7T MRI as a reference and determined by mean absolute error (MAE).Results: Contact area and centroid location reliability (inter-rater, test-retest, and intra-rater) for sagittal scans in the MC demonstrated ICC3,1 values from 0.95-0.99 and 0.98-0.99 respectively, and in the LC from 0.83-0.91 and 0.95-1.00 respectively. The smallest detectable change in contact area was 1.28% in the MC and 0.95% in the LC. Contact area and centroid location reliability for coronal scans in the MC demonstrated ICC3,1 values from 0.90-0.98 and 0.98-1.00 respectively, and in the LC from 0.76-0.94 and 0.93-1.00 respectively. The smallest detectable change in contact area was 0.65% in the MC and 1.41% in the LC. Contact area segmentation was accurate to within a MAE of 11.0 mm2.Conclusions: Knee contact area and contact centroid location can be assessed in upright weightbearing MRI with good to excellent reliability. The lower field strength used in upright, weightbearing MRI does not compromise the reliability of tibiofemoral contact area and centroid location measures.