title: Quantitative MRI water content mapping of porcine intervertebral disc during uniaxial compression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intervertebral disc (IVD) diseases are major public health problem in industrialized countries where they affect a large proportion of the population. In particular, IVD degeneration is considered to be one of the leading causes of pain consultation and sick leave. The aim of this study was to develop a new method for assessing the functionality of IVD in order to diagnose IVD degeneration.
  
  
  METHODS
  For this purpose, we have designed a specific device that enables to mechanically load porcine IVD ex vivo in the 4.7-Tesla horizontal superconducting magnet of a magnetic resonance (MR) scanner. Proton density weighted imaging (ρH-MRI) of the samples was acquired.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The post-processing on MR images allowed (1) to reconstruct the 3D deformation under a known mechanical load and (2) to infer the IVD porosity assuming an incompressible poroelastic model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates the ability to follow the change in morphology and hydration of an IVD using MR measurements, thereby providing valued information for a better understanding of IVD function.
authors.affiliation: a IRPHE, UMR 7342, CNRS , Marseille , France.|b LMS, Université de Sousse , Sousse , Tunisie.|e Aix-Marseille Université , Marseille , France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghiss
authors.affiliation: c CRMBM, UMR 7339 CNRS , Marseille , France.|e Aix-Marseille Université , Marseille , France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giannesini
authors.affiliation: a IRPHE, UMR 7342, CNRS , Marseille , France.|e Aix-Marseille Université , Marseille , France.|f AP-HM, La Timone Adult Hospital , Marseille , France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tropiano
authors.affiliation: b LMS, Université de Sousse , Sousse , Tunisie.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tourki
authors.affiliation: a IRPHE, UMR 7342, CNRS , Marseille , France.|d École Centrale Marseille , Marseille , France.|e Aix-Marseille Université , Marseille , France.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Boiron
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002138:Calibration; D019245:Compressive Strength; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D016062:Porosity; D034421:Sus scrofa; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: IVD; poroelasticity; porosity; ρH-MRI