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Quantitative in vivo MRI evaluation of lumbar facet joints and intervertebral discs using axial T2 mapping

  • Musculoskeletal
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Abstract

Objectives

To assess the feasibility of T2 mapping of lumbar facet joints and intervertebral discs in a single imaging slab and to compare the findings with morphological grading.

Methods

Sixty lumbar spine segments from 10 low back pain patients and 5 healthy volunteers were examined by axial T2 mapping and morphological MRI at 3.0 Tesla. Regions of interest were drawn on a single slice for the facet joints and the intervertebral discs (nucleus pulposus, anterior and posterior annulus fibrosus). The Weishaupt grading was used for facet joints and the Pfirrmann score was used for morphological disc grading (“normal” vs. “abnormal” discs).

Results

The inter-rater agreement was excellent for the facet joint T2 evaluation (r = 0.85), but poor for the morphological Weishaupt grading (kappa = 0.15). The preliminary results show similar facet joint T2 values in segments with normal and abnormal Pfirrmann scores. There was no difference in mean T2 values between facet joints in different Weishaupt grading groups. Facet joint T2 values showed a weak correlation with T2 values of the posterior annulus (r = 0.32)

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the feasibility of a combined T2 mapping approach for the facet joints and intervertebral discs using a single axial slab.

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Acknowledgement

Funding for this study was provided by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF Grant TRP-L194-B05). None of the authors has a conflict of interest to report.

We highly appreciate the technical support by Claudia Kronnerwetter, Manuela Karner, and Christine Penz.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, MR Centre-High field MR, Medical University of Vienna, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    David Stelzeneder, Alina Messner, Marianna Vlychou, Goetz H. Welsch, Georg Scheurecker, Sabine Goed, Klaus M. Friedrich & Siegfried Trattnig

  2. Department of Radiology, University Hospital of Larissa, P.O.Box: 1425, 41110, Larissa, Greece

    Marianna Vlychou

  3. Department of Trauma Surgery, University of Erlangen, Krankenhausstrasse 12, 91054, Erlangen, Germany

    Goetz H. Welsch

  4. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Karin Pieber & Verena Pflueger

Authors
  1. David Stelzeneder
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  2. Alina Messner
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  3. Marianna Vlychou
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  4. Goetz H. Welsch
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  5. Georg Scheurecker
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  6. Sabine Goed
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  7. Karin Pieber
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  8. Verena Pflueger
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  9. Klaus M. Friedrich
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  10. Siegfried Trattnig
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to David Stelzeneder.

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Stelzeneder, D., Messner, A., Vlychou, M. et al. Quantitative in vivo MRI evaluation of lumbar facet joints and intervertebral discs using axial T2 mapping. Eur Radiol 21, 2388–2395 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-011-2198-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-011-2198-z

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