A preliminary study of magnetic resonance relaxation times (T1 and T2) in inflammatory and degenerative synovial fluids.

Multiple synovial fluid samples from 21 patients were analysed using standard synovial analysis techniques and by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Significant negative correlations were noted between both T1 (P less than 0.01) and T2 (P less than 0.0006) relaxation times and synovial fluid total protein. No differences in T1 or T2 relaxation times were noted in synovial fluid between 16 patients with inflammatory forms of arthritis and five patients with degenerative arthritis. In a single rheumatoid arthritis patient with concurrent staphylococcal arthritis, T1 and T2 relaxation times did not vary between the active phase and the recovery phase. The lack of any significant differences in the measured relaxation times as a function of joint condition suggest that in vivo magnetic resonance measurements of T1 or T2 for joint analysis may not reveal information of either a diagnostic or pathophysiological nature.