title: Quantitative in vivo MRI evaluation of lumbar facet joints and intervertebral discs using axial T2 mapping.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
authors: Department of Radiology, MR Centre-High field MR, Medical University of Vienna, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria. david.stelzeneder@meduniwien.ac.at
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Stelzeneder
authors: Alina
authors: A
authors: Messner
authors: Marianna
authors: M
authors: Vlychou
authors: Goetz H
authors: GH
authors: Welsch
authors: Georg
authors: G
authors: Scheurecker
authors: Sabine
authors: S
authors: Goed
authors: Karin
authors: K
authors: Pieber
authors: Verena
authors: V
authors: Pflueger
authors: Klaus M
authors: KM
authors: Friedrich
authors: Siegfried
authors: S
authors: Trattnig
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000473:pathology*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000473:pathology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D021801:Zygapophyseal Joint / Q000473:pathology*