title: Correlations between radiographic, magnetic resonance and histological examinations on the degeneration of human lumbar intervertebral discs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is controversy regarding which imaging method is best for identifying early degenerative alterations in intervertebral discs. No correlations between such methods and histological finds are presented in the literature. The aim of this study was to correlate the thickness of intervertebral discs measured on simple radiographs with the degree of degeneration seen on magnetic resonance images and the histological findings relating to nerve ends inside the discs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional correlation study on the lumbar spines of human cadavers, at Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten lumbar spinal columns were extracted from human cadavers and subjected to magnetic resonance imaging and simple radiography. They were classified according to the degree of disc degeneration seen on magnetic resonance, and the thickness of the discs was measured on radiographs. The intervertebral discs were then extracted, embedded in paraffin and analyzed immunohistochemically with protein S100, and the nerve fibers were counted and classified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No correlation was observed between the thickness of the intervertebral discs and the degree of degeneration seen on magnetic resonance images. Only the uppermost lumbar discs (L1/L2 and L2/L3) presented a correlation between their thickness and type I and IV nerve endings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reduced disc thickness is unrelated to increased presence of nerve ends in intervertebral discs, or to the degree of disc degeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. eulalio@mac.com
authors.forename: Delio Eulalio
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Valdeci Manoel de
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Maria Teresa de Seixas
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wajchenberg
authors.forename: Elcio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Landim
authors.forename: João Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Belloti
authors.forename: Eduardo Barros
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Puertas
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishida
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002102:Cadaver; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011859:Radiography; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D009418:S100 Proteins