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Evaluation of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging, biochemical and mechanical properties of trypsin‐treated intervertebral discs under physiological compression loading
Author(s) -
Mwale Fackson,
Demers Caroline N.,
Michalek Arthur J.,
Beaudoin Gilles,
Goswami Tapas,
Beckman Lorne,
Iatridis James C.,
Antoniou John
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/jmri.21242
Subject(s) - trypsin , intervertebral disc , magnetic resonance imaging , compression (physics) , intervertebral disk , chemistry , annulus (botany) , proteoglycan , biomedical engineering , nuclear magnetic resonance , materials science , medicine , anatomy , extracellular matrix , biochemistry , enzyme , radiology , composite material , lumbar , physics
Purpose To investigate the influence of targeted trypsin digestion and 16 hours compression loading on MR parameters and the mechanical and biochemical properties of bovine disc segments. Materials and Methods Twenty‐two 3‐disc bovine coccygeal segments underwent compression loading for 16 hours after the nucleus pulposus (NP) of each disc was injected with a solution of trypsin or buffer. The properties of the NP and annulus fibrosus (AF) tissues of each disc were analyzed by quantitative MRI, biochemical tests, and confined compression tests. Results Loading had a significant effect on the MR properties (T 1 , T 2 , T 1ρ , MTR, ADC) of both the NP and AF tissues. Loading had a greater effect on the MR parameters and biochemical composition of the NP than trypsin. In contrast, trypsin had a larger effect on the mechanical properties. Our data also indicated that localized trypsin injection predominantly affected the NP. T 1ρ was sensitive to loading and correlated with the water content of the NP and AF but not with their proteoglycan content. Conclusion Our studies indicate that physiological loading is an important parameter to consider and that T 1ρ contributes new information in efforts to develop quantitative MRI as a noninvasive diagnostic tool to detect changes in early disc degeneration. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.