T2WI信号强度对确定腰椎间盘髓核退变的价值

目的研究腰搬间盘髓核T2信号强度与患者年龄、性别及与髓核退变程度的关系。方法回顾性分析422例腰椎间盘退行性变患者的MRI资料，征正中矢状位上测量髓核T2WI信号强度值．对不同级别的信号值进行非参数相关分析和t检验；对午龄与椎间盘信号值砭退变级别采用卡方检验和相关分析；对不同椎间盘水平的信号值进行t检验；对不同椎间盘水平间信号值进行非参数Spearman相关性分析。结果不同性别在同一级别和同一椎间盘水平的信号值差异均有统计学意义；年龄越大髓核信号值越低，髓核退变程度越高。T2WI信号强度可以代表椎间盘髓核退变程度。在所有腰椎间盘中第4～5腰椎间盘退变发生率最高结论腰椎间盘髓核T2信号强度与髓核退变程度及患者年龄具有相关性。T1信号强度有可能戍为一种评价髓核退变简便、易行的方法。

Value of analysing T2 signal intensity in identifying the nucleus pulposus degeneration of lumbar discs

Objective To investigate the relation between T2 signal intensity in nucleus pulposus of lumbar discs with patient age, gender and stage of nucleus pulposus degeneration. Methods Lumbar imaging findings of 422 cases subjects were retrospectively reviewed through T2 signal intensity of nucleus pulposus evaluated based on the signal intensity of MR T2 - weighted mid - sagiltal images of the lumbar spine, The T2 signal intensity at all five lumbar levels （from Ls -S1 to L1 -T2 ） between male and female was used independent sample t -- test and the Spearman correlation analysis. The age and grade of nucleus pulposus of disc degeneration and T2 signal intensity were estimated by calculating and Chi - square test and the Spearman correlation analysis ; The t - test was used to correlate tile different anatomic levels of disc degeneration; T2 signal intensity among the five different anatomic levels using non -parametric correlation analysis. Results There were significant differences in T2 signal intensity of nucleus pulposus at the same grade and anatomic level between male and female. Advanced with age, T2 signal intensity of nucleus pulposus will decrease and stage of disc degeneration increasing accordingly. T2 signal intensity may represent the nucleus pulposus degeneration of interverterbral disc. L4 -L5 was the highest incidence among the nucleus pulposus degeneration of interwertebral disc. Conclusions T2 signal intensity of nucleus pulposus of lumbar interverterbral disc is correlated with grade of degeneration and patient age. The T2 signal intensity based approach may be a feasible and practical tool to determine nucleus pulposus degeneration