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Intervertebral disc lesions: visualisation with ultra-high field MRI at 11.7 T

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Abstract

Purpose

Tears and fissures in the intervertebral disc are probably influencing spinal stability. Discography investigations with the aim of fissure detection have been criticised and are discouraged. Therefore, alternative imaging methods, such as MRI, must be investigated.

Methods

A custom-made device was used to insert six needles with different diameters (0.3–2.2 mm/30–14 G) into the annulus of six bovine tail discs (Cy2–Cy3). Directly after removal of the needles, the discs were scanned in an 11.7 T MRI (Res.: 0.059 × 0.059 × 0.625 mm3, tscan: 31 min), in a 3 T MRI with a clinical and additionally with two experimental protocols (exp_HR: Res.: 0.3 mm3, tscan: 97 min/exp_LR: Res.: 0.5 mm3, tscan: 13.4 min). The obtained images were analysed for lesion volume and lesion length using a 3D-reconstruction software.

Results

At 11.7 T, all lesions were visible along with the lamellar structure of the annulus. In the clinical 3 T images, no lesions were visible at all. The 3 T experimental protocols revealed 4 (exp_HR) and 2 (exp_LR) of the 6 lesions. The reconstructed lesions did not have an ideal cylindrical shape. The measured volumes of the lesions ranged from 0.7 to 13.9 mm3 (11.7 T), 0.1–11.4 mm3 (exp_HR) and 0.0–12.4 mm3 (exp_LR) and correlated, but were smaller than the corresponding needle size. The lengths of all needle lesions ranged from 2.9 to 12.3 mm (11.7 T), 0.8–9.7 mm (exp_HR) and 0.0–9.7 mm (exp_LR).

Conclusions

Ultra-high field MRI at 11.7 T is a non-invasive tool to directly visualise annular lesions in vitro, while a 3 T MRI, even with experimental protocols and longer scanning times, demonstrates limited ability. In vivo, it is problematic with the clinical systems available today.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG) Project WI 1352/14-1. We would like to thank Rene Jonas for his effort in creating CAD drawings for the custom-designed apparatus, Anne Subgang for her assistance in scanning the discs, as well as Sandra Reitmaier and Nicholaus Meyers for carefully reading the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Musculoskeletal Research (zmfu), Institute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics, Ulm University, Helmholtzstraße 14, 89081, Ulm, Germany

    Nikolaus Berger-Roscher & Hans-Joachim Wilke

  2. IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Via Galeazzi 4, 20161, Milan, Italy

    Fabio Galbusera

  3. Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany

    Volker Rasche

  4. Core Facility Small Animal MRI, Medical Faculty, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany

    Volker Rasche

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  1. Nikolaus Berger-Roscher
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  2. Fabio Galbusera
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  4. Hans-Joachim Wilke
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Correspondence to Hans-Joachim Wilke.

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Berger-Roscher, N., Galbusera, F., Rasche, V. et al. Intervertebral disc lesions: visualisation with ultra-high field MRI at 11.7 T. Eur Spine J 24, 2488–2495 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-015-4146-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-015-4146-0

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