Axial T2* mapping in intervertebral discs: a new technique for assessment of intervertebral disc degeneration

Hoppe, Sven; Quirbach, Sebastian; Mamisch, Tallal C.; Krause, Fabian; Werlen, Stefan; Benneker, Lorin Michael

doi:10.1007/s00330-012-2448-8

Cited by 55 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Our predicted results in cases in which there has been a loss of nutrition supplies through the CEP-NP and/or AF periphery pathway (Figures 6B and 6D) are similar to those seen on MRI. 31–34 Likely, poor-nutrition-related disc degeneration in the clinical patient falls on the spectrum between these two cases (i.e., Case 1 and Case 3). For these two cases, the poor-nutrition-related disc degeneration was predicted to start at the middle axial plane of the disc, where the water content was lower than the surrounding regions, see Figure 8.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influences of Nutrition Supply and Pathways on the Degenerative Patterns in Human Intervertebral Disc

Zhu

Gao

Levene

et al. 2016

SPINE

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Study Design Investigation of the effects of the impairment of different nutritional pathways on the intervertebral disc degeneration patterns in terms of spatial distributions of cell density, glycosaminoglycan content, and water content. Objective To test the hypothesis that impairment of different nutritional pathways would result in different degenerative patterns in human discs. Summary of Background Data Impairment of nutritional pathways has been found to affect cell viability in the disc. However, details on how impairment of different nutritional pathways affects the disc degeneration patterns are unknown. Methods A 3D finite element model was used for this study. This finite element method was based on the cell-activity-coupled mechano-electrochemical theory for cartilaginous tissues. Impairment of the nutritional pathways was simulated by lowering the nutrition level at the disc boundaries. Effects of the impartment of cartilaginous endplate-nucleus pulposus (CEP-NP) pathway only (Case 1), annulus fibrosus (AF) pathway only (Case 2), and both pathways (Case 3) on disc degeneration patterns were studied. Results The predicted critical level of nutrition for Case 1, Case 2, and Case 3 were around 30%, 20%, and 50% of the reference values, respectively. Below this critical level, the disc degeneration would occur. Disc degeneration appeared mainly in the NP for Case 1, in the outer AF for Case 2, and in both the NP and inner to middle AF for Case 3. For Cases 1 and 3, the loss of water content was primarily located in the mid-axial plane, which is consistent with the horizontal gray band seen in some T2-weighted MRI images. For the disc geometry used in this study, it was predicted that there existed a High Intensity Zone (for Case 3), as seen in some T2-weighted MRI images. Conclusion Impairment of different nutrition pathways results in different degenerative patterns.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influences of Nutrition Supply and Pathways on the Degenerative Patterns in Human Intervertebral Disc

Zhu

Gao

Levene

et al. 2016

SPINE

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“…T2*-weighted imaging (T2*WI) has recently been reported as a useful imaging modality for identifying early intervertebral disc degeneration with minimal biochemical changes [11]. As for ligaments, T2*WI can also detect microdamage and even small biochemical changes without any morphological changes [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical significance of T2*-weighted gradient-echo MRI to monitor graft maturation over one year after anatomic double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A comparative study with proton density-weighted MRI

et al. 2015

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“…T2 mapping might be more sensitive to tissue hydration; however, T2* mapping might be more sensitive to collagen integrity, and T1ρ mapping can show slow-motion interactions between macromolecules and bulk water in the extracellular matrix[7, 18, 21, 26, 28]. The main degenerative changes to the IVD are the loss of PG/GAG and dehydration[22, 23, 25].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Correlation study between facet joint cartilage and intervertebral discs in early lumbar vertebral degeneration using T2, T2* and T1ρ mapping

Zhang

Duan

et al. 2017

PLoS ONE

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Recent advancements in magnetic resonance imaging have allowed for the early detection of biochemical changes in intervertebral discs and articular cartilage. Here, we assessed the feasibility of axial T2, T2* and T1ρ mapping of the lumbar facet joints (LFJs) to determine correlations between cartilage and intervertebral discs (IVDs) in early lumbar vertebral degeneration. We recruited 22 volunteers and examined 202 LFJs and 101 IVDs with morphological (sagittal and axial FSE T2-weighted imaging) and axial biochemical (T2, T2* and T1ρ mapping) sequences using a 3.0T MRI scanner. IVDs were graded using the Pfirrmann system. Mapping values of LFJs were recorded according to the degeneration grades of IVDs at the same level. The feasibility of T2, T2* and T1ρ in IVDs and LFJs were analyzed by comparing these mapping values across subjects with different rates of degeneration using Kruskal-Wallis tests. A Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to compare T2, T2* and T1ρ values of discs and LFJs. We found excellent reproducibility in the T2, T2* and T1ρ values for the nucleus pulposus (NP), anterior and posterior annulus fibrosus (PAF), and LFJ cartilage (intraclass correlation coefficients 0.806–0.955). T2, T2* and T1ρ mapping (all P<0.01) had good Pfirrmann grade performances in the NP with IVD degeneration. LFJ T2* values were significantly different between grades I and IV (PL = 0.032, PR = 0.026), as were T1ρ values between grades II and III (PL = 0.002, PR = 0.006) and grades III and IV (PL = 0.006, PR = 0.001). Correlations were moderately negative for T1ρ values between LFJ cartilage and NP (rL = −0.574, rR = −0.551), and between LFJ cartilage and PAF (rL = −0.551, rR = −0.499). T1ρ values of LFJ cartilage was weakly correlated with T2 (r = 0.007) and T2* (r = −0.158) values. Overall, we show that axial T1ρ effectively assesses early LFJ cartilage degeneration. Using T1ρ analysis, we propose a link between LFJ degeneration and IVD NP or PAF changes.

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Axial T2* mapping in intervertebral discs: a new technique for assessment of intervertebral disc degeneration

Abstract: Objectives To demonstrate the potential benefits of biochemical axial

Cited by 55 publications

References 19 publications

Influences of Nutrition Supply and Pathways on the Degenerative Patterns in Human Intervertebral Disc

Influences of Nutrition Supply and Pathways on the Degenerative Patterns in Human Intervertebral Disc

Clinical significance of T2*-weighted gradient-echo MRI to monitor graft maturation over one year after anatomic double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A comparative study with proton density-weighted MRI

Correlation study between facet joint cartilage and intervertebral discs in early lumbar vertebral degeneration using T2, T2* and T1ρ mapping

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