Fig. 2.

Figs. 2-A through 2-f Arthroscopic and MRI evaluations show different aspects of the best 3 repairs (by arthroscopic assessment) in the 2 treatment groups: microfracture (MFX) and bone marrow concentrate (BMC). International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) scores are indicated. Arthroscopic evaluation provides surface imaging and tactile feedback. Images of the highest-scoring repairs in each group provide examples of improved surface characteristics observed in the microfracture group (Figs. 2-A, 2-B, and 2-C) compared with the BMC group (Figs. 2-D, 2-E, and 2-F). MRI provides cross-sectional information and shows subchondral bone voids (arrowheads) in 2 microfracture repairs (Figs. 2-a and 2-c), subchondral bone encroachment into the cartilage repair area (small arrows) in 1 microfracture (Fig. 2-b) and 1 BMC (Fig. 2-d) repair, and thin repair tissues in 2 microfracture repairs (Figs. 2-b and 2-c) and 1 BMC repair (Fig. 2-d). Quantitative MRI techniques such as UTE-T2* mapping (Figs. 2-a through 2-f) provide additional information on repair tissue subsurface matrix structure measured through texture analysis that may not be readily apparent on visual inspection.