Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine and blood volume in professional cyclists

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Stimulated hematopoiesis is observed in the bone marrow of endurance-trained athletes by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) independent of the hemoglobin concentration (hematocrit or erythrocyte count) or circulating reticulocytes, but may be related to blood volume (BV). This study determined whether hyperplasia of hematopoietic bone marrow of professional cyclists correlates with their red cell volume (RCV). Twelve male professional cyclists (mean ± SD; 20.2 ± 1.4 years, 69.0 ± 4.5 kg, VO2max 64.4 ± 4.6 ml/min/kg, BV 7257 ± 884 ml, RCV 2990 ± 299 g) completed an MRI of the lumbar spine, a total BV determination using a CO-rebreathing method and a graded exercise testing within two consecutive days. Significant correlations were found between performance and BV data. A significant correlation existed also between the signal intensity of the Turbo inversion-recovery sequence with short inversion time (Turbo-STIR) and BV (r 2 = 0.47, P < 0.05), RCV (r 2 = 0.56, P < 0.05) and plasma volume (r 2 = 0.39, P < 0.05) per kilogram body mass. The present study provides evidence of stimulated erythropoiesis with hyperplasia of the hematopoietic bone marrow of endurance athletes explaining their large RCV.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Altehoefer C, Bertz H, Ghanem NA, Langer M (2001) Extent and time course of morphological changes of bone marrow induced by granulocyte-colony stimulating factor as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging of healthy blood stem cell donors. J Magn Reson Imaging 14:141–146

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Altehoefer C, Schmid A, Buchert M, Ghanem NA, Heinrich L, Langer M (2002) Characterization of hematopoietic bone marrow in male professional cyclists by magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine. J Magn Reson Imaging 16:284–288

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bodary PF, Pate RR, Wu QF, McMillan GS (1999) Effects of acute exercise on plasma erythropoietin levels in trained runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc 31:543–546

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burge CM, Skinner SL (1995) Determination of hemoglobin mass and blood volume with CO: evaluation and application of a method. J Appl Physiol 79:623–631

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Caldemeyer KS, Smith RR, Harris A, Williams T, Huang Y, Eckert GJ, Slemenda CW (1996) Hematopoietic bone marrow hyperplasia: correlation of spinal MR findings, hematologic parameters, and bone mineral density in endurance athletes. Radiology 198:503–508

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Daffner RH, Lupetin AR, Dash N, Deeb ZL, Sefczek RJ, Schapiro RL (1986) MRI in the detection of malignant infiltration of bone marrow. AJR Am J Roentgenol 146:353–358

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Delfaut EM, Beltran J, Johnson G, Rousseau J, Marchandise X, Cotten A (1999) Fat suppression in MR imaging: techniques and pitfalls. Radiographics 19:373–382

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • di Prampero PE, Cortili G, Mognoni P, Saibene F (1979) Equation of motion of a cyclist. J Appl Physiol 47:201–206

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fricke G (1965) On the behavior of the cell factor during physical work. Determinations with T-1824 (Evans blue) and radioactive chromate. Cardiologia 47:25–44

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haskell A, Nadel ER, Stachenfeld NS, Nagashima K, Mack GW (1997) Transcapillary escape rate of albumin in humans during exercise-induced hypervolemia. J Appl Physiol 83:407–413

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heinicke K, Wolfarth B, Winchenbach P, Biermann B, Schmid A, Huber G, Friedmann B, Schmidt W (2001) Blood volume and hemoglobin mass in elite athletes of different disciplines. Int J Sports Med 22:504–512

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jeukendrup AE, Craig NP, Hawley JA (2000) The bioenergetics of World Class Cycling. J Sci Med Sport 3:414–433

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kurtz A, Zapf J, Eckardt KU, Clemons G, Froesch ER, Bauer C (1988) Insulin-like growth factor I stimulates erythropoiesis in hypophysectomized rats. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 85:7825–7829

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lucia A, Hoyos J, Chicharro JL (2001) Physiology of professional road cycling. Sports Med 31:325–337

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Milledge JS, Bryson EI, Catley DM, Hesp R, Luff N, Minty BD, Older MW, Payne NN, Ward MP, Withey WR (1982) Sodium balance, fluid homeostasis and the renin-aldosterone system during the prolonged exercise of hill walking. Clin Sci (Lond) 62:595–604

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nagashima K, Cline GW, Mack GW, Shulman GI, Nadel ER (2000) Intense exercise stimulates albumin synthesis in the upright posture. J Appl Physiol 88:41–46

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nyman R, Rehn S, Glimelius B, Hagberg H, Hemmingsson A, Jung B, Simonsson B, Sundstrom C (1987) Magnetic resonance imaging in diffuse malignant bone marrow diseases. Acta Radiol 28:199–205

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Padilla S, Mujika I, Orbananos J, Santisteban J, Angulo F, Jose Goiriena J (2001) Exercise intensity and load during mass-start stage races in professional road cycling. Med Sci Sports Exerc 33:796–802

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qian ZM, Xiao DS, Tang PL, Yao FY, Liao QK (1999) Increased expression of transferrin receptor on membrane of erythroblasts in strenuously exercised rats. J Appl Physiol 87:523–529

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roecker K, Schotte O, Niess AM, Horstmann T, Dickhuth HH (1998) Predicting competition performance in long-distance running by means of a treadmill test. Med Sci Sports Exerc 30:1552–1557

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roecker K, Striegel H, Dickhuth HH (2003) Heart-rate recommendations: transfer between running and cycling exercise? Int J Sports Med 24:173–178

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt W, Prommer N (2005) The optimised CO-rebreathing method: a new tool to determine total haemoglobin mass routinely. Eur J Appl Physiol 95:486–495

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt W, Eckardt KU, Hilgendorf A, Strauch S, Bauer C (1991) Effects of maximal and submaximal exercise under normoxic and hypoxic conditions on serum erythropoietin level. Int J Sports Med 12:457–461

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shaskey DJ, Green GA (2000) Sports haematology. Sports Med 29:27–38

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shellock FG, Mink JH (1991) Knees of trained long-distance runners: MR imaging before and after competition. Radiology 179:635–637

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shellock FG, Morris E, Deutsch AL, Mink JH, Kerr R, Boden SD (1992) Hematopoietic bone marrow hyperplasia: high prevalence on MR images of the knee in asymptomatic marathon runners. AJR Am J Roentgenol 158:335–338

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stegmann H, Kindermann W, Schnabel A (1981) Lactate kinetics and individual anaerobic threshold. Int J Sports Med 2:160–165

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vanhoenacker FM, Snoeckx A (2007) Bone marrow edema in sports: general concepts. Eur J Radiol 62:6–15

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vogler JB 3rd, Murphy WA (1988) Bone marrow imaging. Radiology 168:679–693

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wasserman K, Hansen JE, Sue DY, Casaburi R, Whipp BJ (1999) Principles of exercise testing and interpretation. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Preventive and Rehabilitative Sports Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetterstr. 55, 79106, Freiburg, Germany

    Stefan Vogt, Dirk Bueltermann, Torben Pottgiesser, Stephan Prettin, Andreas Schmid, Kai Roecker & Lothar Heinrich

  2. Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, Bunzlauerstrasse, Cologne, Germany

    Carsten Altehoefer

  3. Department of Sports Medicine and Sports Physiology, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany

    Walter Schmidt

  4. Neuromuscular Center, Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine of Presbyterian Hospital, Dallas, TX, USA

    Katja Heinicke

Authors
  1. Stefan Vogt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Carsten Altehoefer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dirk Bueltermann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Torben Pottgiesser
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Stephan Prettin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Andreas Schmid
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Kai Roecker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Walter Schmidt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Katja Heinicke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Lothar Heinrich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefan Vogt.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vogt, S., Altehoefer, C., Bueltermann, D. et al. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine and blood volume in professional cyclists. Eur J Appl Physiol 102, 411–416 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-007-0599-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-007-0599-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation