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The Value of T2 Relaxation Times to Characterize Lumbar Intervertebral Disks: Preliminary Results

J. Perryb, V. Haughtona, P.A. Andersond, Y. Wub, J. Finec and C. Mistrettab

a Departments of Radiology, University of Wisconsin, Hospitals and Clinics, Madison, Wis
b Departments of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, Hospitals and Clinics, Madison, Wis
c Departments of Biostatistics, University of Wisconsin, Hospitals and Clinics, Madison, Wis
d Departments of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin, Hospitals and Clinics, Madison, Wis


Figure 1
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  		Fig 1. Images of successive echoes in the FSE echo train of an L4/5 disk classified as stage II. The images progress from the first echo on the upper left to the ninth echo in the lower right.


Figure 2
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  		Fig 2. 3D contour plot of the disk shown in Fig 1. The anterior portion of the disk is to the reader’s left and superior portion toward the top of the page. The inclination of the disk in the 3D plot is due to the angulation of the intervertebral disk from the axial plane. Notice the intranuclear cleft is clearly distinguished from the more amorphous regions of the nucleus pulposus because of its lower T2 values.


Figure 3
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  		Fig 3. Sagittal MR image (ninth echo; A) and contour plot (B) of the L5/S1 disk in volunteer 3. This volunteer had a less-conspicuous intranuclear cleft at L5-S1.


Figure 4
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  		Fig 4. Sagittal MR image (9th echo; A) and contour plot (B) of an L4–5 stage III intervertebral disk. The intranuclear cleft region is not distinguished in the image or the plot.


Figure 5
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  		Fig 5. Rank plot of T2 values in a volunteer with 5 stage II disks. The T2 values are plotted in order of increasing value. Note that the plots for each level tend to coincide.


Figure 6
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  		Fig 6. Rank plots of T2 values of disks in volunteer 3, who had a less-conspicuous intranuclear cleft at L5/S1. The rank plots show greater discrepancies than they did in the other 2 volunteers.


Figure 7
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  		Fig 7. Rank plot of T2 values in a volunteer with stage II disks at L1–2 and L2–3 and stage III disks at L3–4, L4–5, and L5-S1. The stage II disks are clustered together, but the stage III disks are not.





Copyright © 2009 by the American Society of Neuroradiology. Print ISSN: 0195-6108 Online ISSN: 1936-959X