Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are currently in focus because of the possibility of cartilage regeneration through several ways, including MSC sheets. However, there is no published report that visualizes cartilage in three dimensions. Here, we report a case of improved cartilage volume. We purified and cultured adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASC) and then performed ASC therapy by directly injecting these cells into the articular cartilage. Cartilage was quantitatively evaluated before and after injection using a three-dimensional (3D) image analysis software based on the MRI imagery.
Case presentation: The patient, a 55-year-old woman, experienced pain in both knees and was diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee. We performed ASC therapy in both knees at our hospital and quantitatively evaluated cartilage before and after the treatment using the 3D image analysis software “SYNAPSE VINCENT”.
Conclusions: For the quantitative analysis of cartilage, SYNAPSE VINCENT visualizes the state of cartilage in a high-definition 3D image, which is excellent for understanding the state of the disease and explaining it to the patient. Though there is room for debate about the reproducibility of errors, etc., SYNAPSE VINCENT would be useful as a clinical tool for regenerative medicine.