Magnetic resonance method and apparatus for automated analysis of joint inflammation, joint proteoglycan proportion, and joint osteoarthritis

Abstract

In a magnetic resonance method and apparatus for generating an analysis of an inflammation of a joint, for determining a proteoglycan proportion of a joint, and for generating an analysis of osteoarthritis of a joint, for a predetermined region within a body of a patient, a three-dimensional MR image data set is generated with a magnetic resonance imaging scanner. At least, a portion of a joint is located within the region. For each of several different automatically determined layers, a two-dimensional MR image is calculated from the three-dimensional MR image data set. For each layer, the thickness of a predetermined tissue, which is represented in the two-dimensional MR image corresponding to the layer, is determined, by means of which an analysis of a joint inflammation is automatically determined depending on the respective thicknesses. A further layer in the region is also automatically determined and, after injecting a contrast medium, a two-dimensional T1-weighted MR image is generated for this layer, from which a proteoglycan proportion is automatically determined. From the analysis of the joint inflammation and the proteoglycan proportion, it is then possible to perform a reproducible analysis of osteoarthritis of the joint.