Population average T2 MRI maps reveal quantitative regional transformations in the degenerating rabbit intervertebral disc that vary by lumbar level.

Authors

John T Martin, Translational Musculoskeletal Research Center, Philadelphia VA Medical Center; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania; Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania
Christopher M Collins, Department of Radiology, New York University
Kensuke Ikuta, Translational Musculoskeletal Research Center, Philadelphia VA Medical Center; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania
Robert L Mauck, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania
Dawn M Elliott, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware
Yeija Zhang, Translational Musculoskeletal Research Center, Philadelphia VA Medical Center; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pennsylvania
David G Anderson, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Alexander Vaccaro, MD, PhD, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Todd Albert, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Vincent Arlet, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania
Harvey E Smith, Translational Musculoskeletal Research Center, Philadelphia VA Medical Center; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2015

Comments

This article has been peer reviewed. It was published in: Journal of Orthopaedic Research.

Volume 33, Issue 1, 1 January 2015, Pages 140-148.

The published version is available at DOI: 10.1002/jor.22737

Copyright © 2014 Orthopaedic Research Society.

Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with T2-weighting is routinely performed to assess intervertebral disc degeneration. Standard clinical evaluations of MR images are qualitative, however, and do not focus on region-specific alterations in the disc. Utilizing a rabbit needle puncture model, T2 mapping was performed on injured discs to develop a quantitative description of the degenerative process following puncture. To do so, an 18G needle was inserted into four discs per rabbit (L3/L4 to L6/L7) and T2 maps were generated pre- and 4 weeks post-injury. Individual T2 maps were normalized to a disc-specific coordinate system and then averaged for pre- and post-injury population composite T2 maps. We also developed a method to automatically segment the nucleus pulposus by fitting the NP region of the T2 maps with modified 2-D and 3-D Gaussian distribution functions. Puncture injury produced alterations in MR signal intensity in a region-specific manner mirroring human degeneration. Population average T2 maps provided a quantitative representation of the injury response, and identified deviations of individual degenerate discs from the pre-injury population. We found that the response to standardized injury was modest at lower lumbar levels, likely as a result of increased disc dimensions. These tools will be valuable for the quantitative characterization of disc degeneration in future clinical and pre-clinical studies.

Recommended Citation

Martin, John T; Collins, Christopher M; Ikuta, Kensuke; Mauck, Robert L; Elliott, Dawn M; Zhang, Yeija; Anderson, David G; Vaccaro, MD, PhD, Alexander; Albert, Todd; Arlet, Vincent; and Smith, Harvey E, "Population average T2 MRI maps reveal quantitative regional transformations in the degenerating rabbit intervertebral disc that vary by lumbar level." (2015). Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers. Paper 83.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/orthofp/83

PubMed ID

25273831