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Tissue characterization of symptomatic and asymptomatic disc herniations by quantitative magnetic resonance imaging
Author(s) -
Boos Norbert,
Dreier Daniel,
Hilfiker Esther,
Schade Volker,
Kreis Roland,
Hora Josef,
Aebi Max,
Boesch Chris
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of orthopaedic research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.041
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1554-527X
pISSN - 0736-0266
DOI - 10.1002/jor.1100150121
Subject(s) - asymptomatic , magnetic resonance imaging , medicine , disc protrusion , discectomy , radiology , lumbar , nuclear medicine , pathology
The purpose of this investigation was to determine differences in tissue composition of symptomatic and asymptomatic disc herniations as reflected in T 1 and T 2 relaxation times (quantitative magnetic resonance investigation of the lumber spine. The longitudinal and transverse magnetic rlaxation times (T 1 and T 2 , respectively) were calculated from a set of 20 images obtained with five single‐slice/multi‐echo sequences at different repetition time values on a commercial whole‐body system (1.5 T). Twenty‐two symptomatic and asymptomatic disc herniations could be matched according to age, gender, disc level, and the extent of herniation (protrusion or extrusion) and were compared with regard to T 1 and T 2 relaxation times. Symptomatic disc herniations exhibited significantly (p T1 < 0.04 and p T2 < 0.003) shorter T 1 (ΔT 1 :–182.1 milliseconds, −15%) and T 2 (ΔT 2 : −11.0 milliseconds, −21%) relaxation times than matched asymptomatic herniations. Symptomatic disc herniations also exhibited more advanced disc degeneration as graded by Pearce's criteria (p < 0.01). These results suggest that symptomatic and morphologically matched asymptomatic disc herniations differ with regard to disc matrix composition.