Ultrashort Echo Time Magnetic Resonance Imaging Techniques: Met and Unmet Needs in Musculoskeletal Imaging.

This review article summarizes recent technical developments in ultrashort echo time (UTE) magnetic resonance imaging of musculoskeletal (MSK) tissues with short-T2 relaxation times. A series of contrast mechanisms are discussed for high-contrast morphological imaging of short-T2 MSK tissues including the osteochondral junction, menisci, ligaments, tendons, and bone. Quantitative UTE mapping of T1, T2*, T1ρ, adiabatic T1ρ, magnetization transfer ratio, MT modeling of macromolecular proton fraction, quantitative susceptibility mapping, and water content is also introduced. Met and unmet needs in MSK imaging are discussed. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 3.