Skip to main content

In vivo fluid transport in human intervertebral discs varies by spinal level and disc region.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Martin, JT; Wesorick, B; Oldweiler, AB; Kosinski, AS; Goode, AP; DeFrate, LE
Published in: JOR Spine
June 2022

BACKGROUND: The lumbar discs are large, dense tissues that are primarily avascular, and cells residing in the central region of the disc are up to 6-8 mm from the nearest blood vessel in adults. To maintain homeostasis, disc cells rely on nutrient transport between the discs and adjacent vertebrae. Thus, diminished transport has been proposed as a factor in age-related disc degeneration. METHODS: In this study, we used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to quantify diurnal changes in T2 relaxation time, an MRI biomarker related to disc hydration, to generate 3D models of disc fluid distribution and determine how diurnal changes in fluid varied by spinal level. We recruited 10 participants (five males/five females; age: 21-30 years; BMI: 19.1-29.0 kg/m2) and evaluated the T2 relaxation time of each disc at 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM, as well as degeneration grade (Pfirrmann). We also measured disc height, volume, and perimeter in a subset of individuals as a preliminary comparison of geometry and transport properties. RESULTS: We found that the baseline (AM) T2 relaxation time and the diurnal change in T2 relaxation time were greatest in the cranial lumbar discs, decreasing along the lumbar spine from cranial to caudal. In cranial discs, T2 relaxation times decreased in each disc region (nucleus pulposus [NP], inner annulus fibrosus [IAF], and outer annulus fibrosus [OAF]), whereas in caudal discs, T2 relaxation times decreased in the NP but increased in the AF. CONCLUSIONS: Fluid transport varied by spinal level, where transport was greatest in the most cranial lumbar discs and decreased from cranial to caudal along the lumbar spine. Future work should evaluate what level-dependent factors affect transport.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

JOR Spine

DOI

EISSN

2572-1143

Publication Date

June 2022

Volume

5

Issue

2

Start / End Page

e1199

Location

United States
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Martin, J. T., Wesorick, B., Oldweiler, A. B., Kosinski, A. S., Goode, A. P., & DeFrate, L. E. (2022). In vivo fluid transport in human intervertebral discs varies by spinal level and disc region. JOR Spine, 5(2), e1199. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsp2.1199
Martin, John T., Benjamin Wesorick, Alexander B. Oldweiler, Andrzej S. Kosinski, Adam P. Goode, and Louis E. DeFrate. “In vivo fluid transport in human intervertebral discs varies by spinal level and disc region.JOR Spine 5, no. 2 (June 2022): e1199. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsp2.1199.
Martin JT, Wesorick B, Oldweiler AB, Kosinski AS, Goode AP, DeFrate LE. In vivo fluid transport in human intervertebral discs varies by spinal level and disc region. JOR Spine. 2022 Jun;5(2):e1199.
Martin, John T., et al. “In vivo fluid transport in human intervertebral discs varies by spinal level and disc region.JOR Spine, vol. 5, no. 2, June 2022, p. e1199. Pubmed, doi:10.1002/jsp2.1199.
Martin JT, Wesorick B, Oldweiler AB, Kosinski AS, Goode AP, DeFrate LE. In vivo fluid transport in human intervertebral discs varies by spinal level and disc region. JOR Spine. 2022 Jun;5(2):e1199.

Published In

JOR Spine

DOI

EISSN

2572-1143

Publication Date

June 2022

Volume

5

Issue

2

Start / End Page

e1199

Location

United States