Diffusion Weighted Imaging, Diffusion Tensor Imaging, and T2* Mapping of Lumbar Intervertebral Disc in Young Healthy Adults
نویسندگان
چکیده
BACKGROUND Although conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could provide excellent detection of morphological changes in the diagnosis of lumbar disc degeneration (LDD), it has some difficulties in discriminating minimal changes associated with early LDD before morphological or clinical alterations. Therefore, newer MRI techniques have emerged for investigation of early LDD. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to use diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and T2* mapping to detect lumbar discs in healthy young adults, to evaluate if they could depict the microstructural changes of early LDD. PATIENTS AND METHODS Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), fractional anisotropy (FA), and T2* images of the lumbar discs were obtained for 40 asymptomatic young subjects (19 males and 21 females; mean age of 24.3 years), using DWI, DTI and T2* mapping with a 1.5-T MRI scanner. ADC, FA, and T2* values were measured to compare five regions of interest (ROI) selected in each nucleus pulposus (NP) of the images. RESULTS The ADC, FA, and T2* values were different (P < 0.05) among different ROIs within the same disc or among corresponding ROIs in different level discs. While the average values of ADC increased regularly with the lowering of the anatomical location (P < 0.05), the average FA and T2* values also associated with the anatomic locations, showed an increase in L4-L5 and L5-S1 discs (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION ADC, FA, and T2* values may quantitatively reflect the microstructural characteristics of NP, therefore they could be used to detect the minimal changes of early LDD.
منابع مشابه
Preliminary study on diagnosis of lumbar disc degeneration with magnetic resonance T1p, T2 mapping and DWI quantitative detection technologies.
OBJECTIVE The value of diagnosing lumbar disc degeneration with T1p magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), T2 mapping and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) technologies. PATIENTS AND METHODS We selected 30 patients diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation (group A), 30 patients with lumbar disc degeneration (group B) and 30 healthy volunteers (group C) and carried out Pfirrmann grading of intervertebr...
متن کاملMultimodal quantitative magnetic resonance imaging for lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration
The present study investigated the application of the T1ρ and T2 relaxation mapping magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the evaluation of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). A total of 93 asymptomatic subjects were imaged with T1ρ and T2 mapping, as well as DWI. Pfirrmann grading was performed and correlation analysis was conducted for T1ρ, T2 and DWI re...
متن کاملQuantitative evaluation of diffusion tensor imaging at 3T in human lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration
0 69 0.25 (0.07) 1 17 0.40 (0.13) 2 10 0.47 (0.09) 3 7 0.48 (0.12) Table 1. Distribution of IVDs and mean FA values at different grades. Figure 2. Mean FA values and SD of the NP and AF with different grades, showing an increase in FA in the NP with degeneration. Significant differences between groups are indicated by * p < 0.05 and ** p < 0.005. Figure 1. DDD grades classified on T2W image (le...
متن کاملDiffusion-weighted imaging and diffusion tensor imaging of asymptomatic lumbar disc herniation.
Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were performed on a healthy 31-year-old man with asymptomatic lumbar disc herniation. Although the left S1 nerve root was obviously entrapped by a herniated mass, neither DWI nor DTI showed any significant findings for the nerve root. Decreased apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and increased fractional anisotropy (FA)...
متن کامل