T1? & UTE MRI OF SHEEP STIFLES FOLLOWING SURGICALLY INDUCED MENISCAL TEAR

这个子项目是利用资源的许多研究子项目之一。 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。对子项目的主要支持 子项目的首席调查员可能是由其他来源提供的， 包括美国国立卫生研究院的其他来源。为子项目列出的总成本可能 表示该子项目使用的中心基础设施的估计数量， 不是由NCRR赠款提供给次级项目或次级项目工作人员的直接资金。 半月板撕裂破坏组织结构，损害机械功能，导致膝关节软骨退化。目前的切除治疗不能恢复半月板的生物力学特性。为此，我们开发了一种新型的可生物降解的纳米纤维支架，以促进半月板的修复。最近，我们已经开始在绵羊模型上测试这些结构，目前正在通过力学测试、组织学和生物化学来评估半月板愈合以及支架修复对膝关节软骨的影响。 在这项研究中，我们建议利用先进的成像技术来进一步评估半月板修复的膝关节的关节软骨和半月板，与空白半月板的对照膝关节和半月板相比。为此，我们建议使用两种磁共振成像(MRI)序列来观察关节软骨和半月板(分别为T1-Rho和超短回波时间(UTE))，以及微型计算机断层扫描(CT)来评估软骨厚度。6个月后，对照组(n=1)、空骨缺损组(n=1)和股骨头缺损组(n=2)的肢体均可用于成像。这些数据将提供重要的试点信息和成像方法的验证，以支持将这一方法纳入未来向外部机构(即NIH、国防部、退伍军人管理局)的赠款申请。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. Tears of the meniscus disrupt tissue architecture, impair mechanical function, and lead to the degeneration of knee cartilage. Current excisional treatments do not restore meniscal biomechanical properties. To that end, we have developed a novel biodegradable nanofibrous scaffold (NFS) to facilitate meniscus repair. Recently, we have begun testing these constructs in an ovine model, and are currently evaluating the meniscus healing, as well as the impact of the scaffold repair on the knee articular cartilage, via mechanical testing, histology, and biochemistry. In this study, we propose to utilize advanced imaging techniques to further evaluate the articular cartilage and menisci in knees with NFS-repaired menisci, as compared to control knees and knees with empty meniscus defects. For this, we propose to use two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences designed to look at the articular cartilage and menisci (T1-rho and ultrashort echo time (UTE), respectively), as well as micro-computed tomography (CT) to evaluate cartilage thickness. Limbs from study animals for control (n=1), empty defect (n=1) and NFS-repair (n=2) from the 6 month time point are now available for imaging. These data will provide important pilot information and validation of imaging methodologies to support inclusion of this approach in future grant applications to extramural agencies (i.e, NIH, DOD, VA).