Cartilaginous endplates of the spine: MRI with anatomic correlation in cadavers.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this work was to describe the MR appearance of cartilaginous endplates (CEPs) with close anatomic correlation in cadavers derived from elderly subjects.


METHODS
High-resolution MRI was performed on five cadaveric lumbar spines, and a total of 48 CEPs were studied with T1-weighted spin echo, T2-weighted fast spin echo, and fat-suppressed 3D spoiled GRASS gradient echo (SPGR) MR images. All specimens underwent anatomic sectioning, and gross anatomic findings were correlated with those of MRI.


RESULTS
Conventional MR images allowed gross morphologic evaluation of the integrity of the CEPs and demonstrated cartilaginous nodes. In all specimens, fat-suppressed 3D-SPGR images invariably improved visualization of the fine anatomic structures at the diskovertebral junction (p < 0.01). Various morphologic abnormalities of the CEPs demonstrated on MR images, including thinning, irregularity, erosions, cartilaginous defects, and Schmorl nodes, were confirmed on anatomic inspection.


CONCLUSIONS
Results in our study indicate that MRI may delineate the normal anatomy of CEPs and demonstrate morphologic changes occurring at the diskovertebral junction. Dedicated high-resolution technique and fat-suppressed 3D-SPGR images may significantly improve the diagnostic capabilities of MRI of this particular anatomic region.
Kakitsubata
Yousuke
Y
Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, CA 92161-0001, USA.
Theodorou
Daphne J
DJ
Theodorou
Stavroula J
SJ
Tamura
Shozo
S
Nabeshima
Kazuki
K
Trudell
Debra
D
Clopton
Paul L
PL
Resnick
Donald
D
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002102:Cadaver; D002356:Cartilage / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012016:Reference Values; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*