Journal
NMR IN BIOMEDICINE
Volume 23, Issue 6, Pages 554-562Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/nbm.1493
Keywords
intervertebral disc; MRI; nucleus pulposus; annulus fibrosus; double quantum filtered MRI; MTR maps
Funding
- European PF7 program ENCITE
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In order to investigate intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration and repair, a quantitative non-invasive tool is needed. Various MRI methods including qCPMG, which yields dipolar echo relaxation time (TOE), magnetization transfer contrast (MTC), and H-1 and H-2 double quantum filtered (DQF) MRI were used in the present work to monitor changes in rat IVD after ablation of the nucleus pulposus (NP), serving as a model of severe IVD degeneration. In the intact IVD, a clear distinction between the annulus fibrosus (AF) and the NP is obtained on T-2 and T-DE weighted images as well as on MTC maps, reflecting the high concentration of ordered collagen fibers in the AF. After ablation of the NP, the distinction between the compartments is lost. T-2 and T-DE relaxation times are short throughout the disc and MTC is high. H-1 and H-2 DQF signal, which in intact discs is obtained only for the AF, is now observable throughout the tissue. These results indicate that after ablation, there is an ingression of collagen fibers from the AF into the area that was previously occupied by the NP, as was confirmed by histology. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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