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Changes in perfusion and diffusion in the endplate regions of degenerating intervertebral discs: a DCE-MRI study

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Abstract

Purpose

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) was used to investigate the associations between intervertebral disc degeneration and changes in perfusion and diffusion in the disc endplates.

Methods

56 participants underwent MRI scans. Changes in DCE-MRI signal enhancement in the endplate regions were analyzed. Also, a group template was generated for the endplates and enhancement maps were registered to this template for group analysis.

Results

DCE-MRI enhancement changed significantly in cranial endplates with increased degeneration. A similar trend was observed for caudal endplates, but it was not significant. Group-averaged enhancement maps revealed major changes in spatial distribution of endplate perfusion and diffusion with increasing disc degeneration especially in peripheral endplate regions.

Conclusions

Increased enhancement in the endplate regions of degenerating discs might be an indication of ongoing damage in these tissues. Therefore, DCE-MRI could aid in understanding the pathophysiology of disc degeneration. Moreover, it could be used in the planning of novel treatments such as stem cell therapy.

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Acknowledgments

This study is supported in part by funds from Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin AHW28 FP00002161 and AOSpine Clinical Priority program. We would like to thank Adam Pfaller, Judeen Richeen and study participants for their help and participation on this study. We also would like to thank Aniko Szabo, Ph.D. and Qun Xiang, M.Sc. from the Division of Biostatistics, Institute for Health and Society at MCW for their assistance in statistical analyses. Their support is funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through Grant Number 8UL1TR000055.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Froedtert Hospital, 9200 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA

    Volkan Emre Arpinar, Dennis J. Maiman & L. Tugan Muftuler

  2. Center for Imaging Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA

    L. Tugan Muftuler

  3. Department of Radiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA

    Scott D. Rand & Andrew P. Klein

Authors
  1. Volkan Emre Arpinar
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  2. Scott D. Rand
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  4. Dennis J. Maiman
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  5. L. Tugan Muftuler
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to L. Tugan Muftuler.

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Ethics

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, where the study was conducted.

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Arpinar, V.E., Rand, S.D., Klein, A.P. et al. Changes in perfusion and diffusion in the endplate regions of degenerating intervertebral discs: a DCE-MRI study. Eur Spine J 24, 2458–2467 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-015-4172-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-015-4172-y

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