Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Lumbar intervertebral disc diurnal deformations and T2 and T1rho relaxation times vary by spinal level and disc region.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Martin, JT; Oldweiler, AB; Kosinski, AS; Spritzer, CE; Soher, BJ; Erickson, MM; Goode, AP; DeFrate, LE
Published in: Eur Spine J
March 2022

PURPOSE: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is routinely used to evaluate spine pathology; however, standard imaging findings weakly correlate to low back pain. Abnormal disc mechanical function is implicated as a cause of back pain but is not assessed using standard clinical MRI. Our objective was to utilize our established MRI protocol for measuring disc function to quantify disc mechanical function in a healthy cohort. METHODS: We recruited young, asymptomatic volunteers (6 male/6 female; age 18-30 years; BMI < 30) and used MRI to determine how diurnal deformations in disc height, volume, and perimeter were affected by spinal level, disc region, MRI biomarkers of disc health (T2, T1rho), and Pfirrmann grade. RESULTS: Lumbar discs deformed by a mean of -6.1% (95% CI: -7.6%, -4.7%) to -8.0% (CI: -10.6%, -5.4%) in height and -5.4% (CI: -7.6%, -3.3%) to -8.5% (CI: -11.0%, -6.0%) in volume from AM to PM across spinal levels. Regional deformations were more uniform in cranial lumbar levels and concentrated posteriorly in the caudal levels, reaching a maximum of 13.1% at L5-S1 (CI:-16.1%, -10.2%). T2 and T1rho relaxation times were greatest in the nucleus and varied circumferentially within the annulus. T2 relaxation times were greatest at the most cranial spinal levels and decreased caudally. In this young healthy cohort, we identified a weak association between nucleus T2 and the diurnal change in the perimeter. CONCLUSIONS: Spinal level is a key factor in determining regional disc deformations. Interestingly, deformations were concentrated in the posterior regions of caudal discs where disc herniation is most prevalent.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Eur Spine J

DOI

EISSN

1432-0932

Publication Date

March 2022

Volume

31

Issue

3

Start / End Page

746 / 754

Location

Germany

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Orthopedics
  • Male
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Lumbar Vertebrae
  • Low Back Pain
  • Intervertebral Disc Displacement
  • Intervertebral Disc Degeneration
  • Intervertebral Disc
  • Humans
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Martin, J. T., Oldweiler, A. B., Kosinski, A. S., Spritzer, C. E., Soher, B. J., Erickson, M. M., … DeFrate, L. E. (2022). Lumbar intervertebral disc diurnal deformations and T2 and T1rho relaxation times vary by spinal level and disc region. Eur Spine J, 31(3), 746–754. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-021-07097-4
Martin, John T., Alexander B. Oldweiler, Andrzej S. Kosinski, Charles E. Spritzer, Brian J. Soher, Melissa M. Erickson, Adam P. Goode, and Louis E. DeFrate. “Lumbar intervertebral disc diurnal deformations and T2 and T1rho relaxation times vary by spinal level and disc region.Eur Spine J 31, no. 3 (March 2022): 746–54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-021-07097-4.
Martin JT, Oldweiler AB, Kosinski AS, Spritzer CE, Soher BJ, Erickson MM, et al. Lumbar intervertebral disc diurnal deformations and T2 and T1rho relaxation times vary by spinal level and disc region. Eur Spine J. 2022 Mar;31(3):746–54.
Martin, John T., et al. “Lumbar intervertebral disc diurnal deformations and T2 and T1rho relaxation times vary by spinal level and disc region.Eur Spine J, vol. 31, no. 3, Mar. 2022, pp. 746–54. Pubmed, doi:10.1007/s00586-021-07097-4.
Martin JT, Oldweiler AB, Kosinski AS, Spritzer CE, Soher BJ, Erickson MM, Goode AP, DeFrate LE. Lumbar intervertebral disc diurnal deformations and T2 and T1rho relaxation times vary by spinal level and disc region. Eur Spine J. 2022 Mar;31(3):746–754.
Journal cover image

Published In

Eur Spine J

DOI

EISSN

1432-0932

Publication Date

March 2022

Volume

31

Issue

3

Start / End Page

746 / 754

Location

Germany

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Orthopedics
  • Male
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Lumbar Vertebrae
  • Low Back Pain
  • Intervertebral Disc Displacement
  • Intervertebral Disc Degeneration
  • Intervertebral Disc
  • Humans