Advanced

AJNR - American Journal of Neuroradiology

This Article Abstract Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Haughton, V. M. Articles by An, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Haughton, V. M. Articles by An, H.

Intervertebral Disk Appearance Correlated withStiffness of Lumbar Spinal Motion Segments

Victor M. Haughton^,a, Tae Hong Lim^a and Howard An^a

^a From the Departments of Radiology (V.M.H.), and Orthopedic Surgery (T.H.L., H.A.), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.

View larger version (36K): [in a new window]   FIG 1. Artist's sketch of the biomechanical testing device to measure disk stiffness. The lower (L) and upper (U) vertebrae are attached to plates. The lower plate is fixed. By means of weights and pulleys, a torque is applied to the upper plate. The motion produced by the torque is calculated from the displacements of the reflective targets attached to the plate (see Methods).

View larger version (256K): [in a new window]   FIG 2. Sagittal MR images (2000/90[TR/TE]) of intervertebral disks classified as normal (A), transverse tear (B), radial tear (C), and advanced degeneration (D)

View larger version (41K): [in a new window]   FIG 3. Graph illustrating the relationship between stiffness and disk classification

View larger version (32K): [in a new window]   FIG 4. Graph illustrating the distribution of the individual stiffness measurements for the normal, transverse tear, radial tear, and advanced degeneration groups.