Magnetic resonance imaging measurement of relaxation and water diffusion in the human lumbar intervertebral disc under compression in vitro.

STUDY DESIGN: Twelve lumbar intervertebral disc specimens were imaged with magnetic resonance imaging to estimate relaxation constants, T1 and T2, and tissue water diffusion, before and after applying compression. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study were to measure T1, T2, and water diffusion for differences with loading state, region of the disc (anulus fibrosus or nucleus pulposus), and grade of degeneration. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Magnetic resonance imaging can be used qualitatively to estimate water content and degeneration of the intervertebral disc. Beyond structural information of images, the relaxation times T1 and T2 may contain information on the changes occurring with degeneration. A modified spin-echo sequence can be used to estimate tissue water diffusion in cartilage and disc specimens with the ability to measure anisotropy. METHODS: Specimens were imaged in a 1.5-Tesla clinical scanner. T1, T2, and water diffusion were estimated from midsagittal images. Magnetic resonance imaging parameters were calculated before and after axial loading. The measured T1, T2, and D (diffusion coefficient) were compared before and after compression, and for the diffusion data, also by direction to consider anisotropy. RESULTS: For the T1 data, a significant difference was found by region, nucleus > anulus, and loading state, loaded > unloaded. For the T2 values, there was a significant difference by region, nucleus > anulus, and Thompson grade. For diffusion, significant differences were found by region, nucleus > anulus, Thompson grade, direction of diffusion, and state of compression, loaded > unloaded. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that magnetic resonance imaging can be used to measure significant changes in T1, T2, or diffusion in intervertebral disc specimens by region, loading condition, or Thompson grade.