MR imaging of healthy knees in varying degrees of flexion using a stretchable coil array provides comparable image quality compared to a standard knee coil array

•A stretchable 8-channel knee coil array for MR-imaging of the knee was built.•The stretchable 8-channel knee coil was compared to a standard 8-channel knee coil.•The stretchable coil provides equal SNR and visibility of anatomical structures.•The stretchable coil keeps its SNR and image quality even if the knee is flexed.•This will allow for MR-imaging of the knee under more physiological conditions.