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Ultrashort time‐to‐echo MRI of the cartilaginous endplate: Technique and association with intervertebral disc degeneration
Author(s) -
Law Travis,
Anthony MarinaPortia,
Chan Queenie,
Samartzis Dino,
Kim Mina,
Cheung Kenneth MC,
Khong PekLan
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of medical imaging and radiation oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.31
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1754-9485
pISSN - 1754-9477
DOI - 10.1111/1754-9485.12041
Subject(s) - medicine , degeneration (medical) , intervertebral disc , nuclear medicine , logistic regression , magnetic resonance imaging , anatomy , pathology , radiology
The purpose of this study was to report the feasibility of the ultrashort time‐to‐echo ( UTE ) MRI technique to assess cartilaginous endplate ( CEP ) defects in humans in vivo and to assess their relationship with intervertebral disc ( IVD ) degeneration. Methods Nine volunteer subjects (mean age = 43.9 years; range = 22–61 years) were recruited, representing 54 IVDs and 108 CEP s. The subjects underwent T2‐weighted and UTE MRI to assess for the presence and severity of IVD degeneration, and for the presence of CEP defects, respectively, from T12 to S1. IVD degeneration was graded according to the Schneiderman et al . classification on T2‐weighted MRI . CEP defects were defined on UTE MRI as discontinuity of high signal over four consecutive images and were independently assessed by two observers. Results Thirty‐seven out of 108 (34.3%) CEPs had defects, which mainly occurred at T 12/ L 1, L 1/ L 2 and L 4/ L 5 ( P = 0.008). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that lower body mass index ( P = 0.009) and younger ( P = 0.034) individuals had a decreased likelihood of having CEP defects. A statistically significant association was found to exist between the presence of CEP defects and IVD degeneration ( P = 0.036). A higher prevalence of degenerated IVDs with CEP defects was found at L 4/5 and L 5/ S 1, while degenerated IVDs with no CEP defects were found throughout the whole lumbar region. Mean IVD degeneration scores of the L 4/5 and L 5/ S 1 levels with CEP defects were higher in comparison with those with no CEP defects. Conclusions Our study demonstrates the feasibility of using UTE MRI in humans in vivo to assess the integrity of the CEP . A statistically significant association was found to exist between the presence of CEP defects and IVD degeneration. In the lower lumbar region, more severe degeneration was found to occur in the IVDs with CEP defects than in those without defects.