Gadolinium-enhanced MR images of the developing cartilaginous epiphyses and physes:experimental study

Objective To define the appearance of normal epiphyseal and physeal cartilage on Gadolinium-enhanced MRI. Methods MR appearance of 40 proximal and distal femoral ends in 10 healthy piglets using Gd-enhanced MR imaging were studied. Results Gd-enhanced MRI enabled to make differentiation between physeal and epiphyseal cartilage and reveal epiphyseal vascular canals. Enhanced ratios in physeal cartilage were bigger than those in epiphyseal cartilage ( P 0.005). Conclusion Gd-enhanced MR imaging enables to show difference in enhancement between physis and epiphyseal cartilage, and reveal epiphyseal vascular canals.