Assessment of Achilles Tendon Changes After Long-Distance Running Using Ultrashort Echo Time Magnetization Transfer MR Imaging

Long-distance running is one of the common causes of Achilles tendon injury. UTE-MT is a magic angle-insensitive MRI technique and an excellent fit for the assessment of Achilles tendon which has a highly anisotropic collagen structure.This study aims to explore the feasibility of quantitative UTE-MT imaging in the assessment of Achilles tendon changes for subjects before and after long-distance running, then compare the technique’s performance with that of UTE-T2*.