Development of Spin-lock and FSE Acquisitions Based 3D Quantitative Biochemical Imaging for Osteoarthritis

In Hong Kong, joint diseases are common health problems as identified by the Elderly Health Service under the Department of Health. It accounts for most of the disability of the elderly in Hong Kong. In particular, osteoarthritis (OA) is on the rise and the prevalence of OA increases with age. Women are more likely to have OA in knee and hip joints after menopause. A study in 2000 reported that among Hong Kong people aged 50 and above, 7 percent of men and 13 percent of women suffered from OA. With an ageing population, it is expected that OA will become a major public health problem in Hong Kong and worldwide and the socio-economic cost of supportive care to these patients can become a major burden to Hong Kong society and many regions in the world. Early diagnosis and prevention of OA and effective technology for treatment monitoring are very important. At present, the management of OA is not optimal and standard quality indicators suggest that the majority of persons with the disease do not receive appropriate care. Over half of the population affected with OA are unaware of the diagnosis. The research team have developed a quantitative and fully automated non-contrast MRI application for early detection and monitoring of joint diseases. The whole project was funded by the Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF) (MRP/001/18X ) started in January 2019. This clinical trial is part of the quantitative assessment of this developed technology. The team anticipate this innovation will address both OA diagnosis, surveillance and management. This can potentially increase diagnostic capabilities with minimum efforts, improving patient awareness, and improved treatment monitoring of the disease state after the interventions. Thus, the proposed technology is expected to provide betterment in the quality of life for the elderly population.