Ultrahigh-field (7T) MR of early cartilage degeneration

• Applicant: Professor Klaus Scheffler, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy, Radiobiology
• Term: from 2012 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 218082391

The goals of this multi-disciplinary collaboration are(1) to develop and implement novel MR methods on high and ultrahigh magnetic field MR, which are specific for the visualization and quantification of GAG loss in articular cartilage measures of cartilage degeneration, (2) to adapt and optimize these new MR technologies for potential clinical use in the diagnosis of early articular cartilage injury and degeneration. This multi-disciplinary translational work will require close collaboration between the Division of Radiological Physics at the University Hospital Basel, Switzerland, and the Center for High field MR of the Medical University of Vienna, Austria. Significance: Achieving these goals will support to integrate novel imaging science with a clinician scientist led translational clinical project focused on identification of cartilage injury and disease early enough for potential disease modifying treatment.Successful implementation of new methods for early diagnosis and treatment of cartilage injury and degeneration may eventually reduce the burden of disease from osteoarthritis, a leading cause of disability and a major public health priority.With the development of new MR techniques a powerful tool for non-invasive visualization of articular cartilage in vivo became available. Early stages of osteoarthritis are characterized by a loss of proteoglycans (PG) and an increase in water content. Proteoglycan is a macromolecule consisting of a linear protein core with covalently bounded polysaccharide moieties – glycosaminoglycans (GAG’s), and is largely responsible for the stiffness and resilience of articular cartilage. During the progression of cartilage diseases, composition and organization of the collagen fibres and cartilage matrix (structural components of articular cartilage) is also changed.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Austria