Dynamic T2 mapping in the diagnosis of patellar cartilage chondromalacia
DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821-2026-10-3-4
Dynamic T2 mapping in the diagnosis of patellar cartilage chondromalacia
D.V. Myachin1, E.V. Rozengauz1, I.E. Itskovich1, A.L. Burulev1, I.Z. Gaydukova1,2,3
1North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
2Russian University of Medicine, Moscow, Russian Federation
3V.A. Nasonova Clinical Rheumatology Hospital, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
Aim: to improve the reproducibility and diagnostic accuracy of quantitative T2 mapping in the detection of patellar cartilage chondromalacia through the implementation of a standardized functional loading protocol.
Materials and Methods: a prospective study of 40 patients presenting with knee joint pain was conducted. All patients underwent MRI of the knee joint using a standard scanning protocol, based on which they were allocated into the study and control groups. The study group (n=14) comprised patients with MRI-confirmed signs of patellar chondromalacia, whereas the control group (n=26) included patients without evidence of chondromalacia. T2 mapping of the patellar articular cartilage was performed twice in all patients: before and after a 5-minute walk employed as a standardized functional load. Regions of interest (ROIs) were placed at various sites within the patellar articular cartilage to measure T2 relaxation times before and after the functional loading.
Results: T2 relaxation time in the study group patients increased significantly following the standardized load (1.50±0.76 ms), whereas no statistically significant changes were observed in the control group (0.08±0.27 ms). The diagnostic threshold of ΔT2≥1 ms demonstrated a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 88.5%.
Conclusion: the dynamic T2 mapping protocol incorporating functional loading substantially enhances the reproducibility of the technique and constitutes a highly accurate non-invasive tool for diagnosing early-stage chondromalacia, thereby offering promising potential for clinical application.
Keywords: T2 mapping, patellar chondromalacia, functional loading, dynamic MRI, T2 relaxation time.
For citation: Myachin D.V., Rozengauz E.V., Itskovich I.E., Burulev A.L., Gaydukova I.Z. Dynamic T2 mapping in the diagnosis of patellar cartilage chondromalacia. Russian Medical Inquiry. 2026;10(3):129–135 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821-2026-10-3-4
About the authors:
Dmitry V. Myachin — postgraduate student of the Department of Radiology and Radiation Therapy, North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov; 41, Kirochnaya str., St. Petersburg, 191015, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0009-0001-8372-7701
Evgeny V. Rozengauz — Dr. Sc. (Med.), Associate Professor, Professor of the Department of Radiology and Radiation Therapy, North-Western State Medical University named
after I.I. Mechnikov; 41, Kirochnaya str., St. Petersburg, 191015, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0000-0003-1742-7783
Irina E. Itskovich — Dr. Sc. (Med.), Professor, Head of the Department of Radiology and Radiation Therapy, North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov; 41, Kirochnaya str., St. Petersburg, 191015, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0000-0001-8352-3955
Artem L. Burulev — C. Sc. (Med.), Associate Professor of the Department of Radiology and Radiation Therapy, North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov; 41, Kirochnaya str., St. Petersburg, 191015, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0009-0007-5401-5047
Inna Z. Gaydukova — Dr. Sc. (Med.), Professor of the E.E. Eichwald Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov; 41, Kirochnaya str., St. Petersburg, 191015, Russian Federation; Head of the Department of Rheumatology, Faculty of General Medicine, N.A. Semashko Research and Educational Institute of Clinical Medicine, Russian University of Medicine; 4, Dolgorukovskaya str., Moscow, 127006, Russian Federation; Senior Rheumatologist, V.A. Nasonova Clinical Rheumatology Hospital; 30, Bolshaya Podyacheskaya str., St. Petersburg, 190068, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0000-0003-3500-7256
Contact information: Dmitry V. Myachin, e-mail: dvmyachin@gmail.com
Financial Disclosure: no authors have a financial or property interest in any material or method mentioned. There is no conflict of interest.
Received 06.02.2026.
Revised 02.03.2026.
Accepted 27.03.2026.
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