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Preoperative coronal (a) and sagittal (b) MRI views before the first operation, showing a IIA type lesion, according to Giannini's classification.
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The lesion size was (16 x 11 mm), and the depth was 8 mm (Figure 1).
Coronal MRI view 2 years after the first operation. The cartilaginous layer was present, but it was submined by a subchondral cyst.
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MRI scan highlighted a subchondral cyst in the proximity of the medial area which was surgically treated two years before: however, a layer of new cartilage tissue was present (Figure 2).
MRI performed 1 year after the second operation, coronal (a) and sagittal (b) views. There are no signs of the previous subchondral cyst. The MOCART scale demonstrates that the defect is completely filled.
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A complete filling of the defect was present, and the chondral tissue was in remodeling phase (Figure 3).
The T2 mapping MRI performed one year after the second treatment shows a 42 msec value, a sign of hyaline cartilage regeneration.
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The T2 mapping MRI performed at 12 months showed a chondral tissue with a signal of 42 milliseconds, a value that is in the range of normality for hyaline tissue (Figure 4).