title: In-vivo T2-relaxation times of asymptomatic cervical intervertebral discs.
abstract: Limited research exists on T2-mapping techniques for cervical intervertebral discs and its potential clinical utility. The objective of this research was to investigate the in-vivo T2-relaxation times of cervical discs, including C2-C3 through C7-T1. Ten asymptomatic subjects were imaged using a 3.0 T MR scanner and a sagittal multi-slice multi-echo sequence. Using the mid-sagittal image, intervertebral discs were divided into five regions-of-interest (ROIs), centered along the mid-line of the disc. Average T2 relaxation time values were calculated for each ROI using a mono-exponential fit. Differences in T2 values between disc levels and across ROIs of the same disc were examined. For a given ROI, the results showed a trend of increasing relaxation times moving down the spinal column, particularly in the middle regions (ROIs 2, 3 and 4). The C6-C7 and C7-T1 discs had significantly greater T2 values compared to superior discs (discs between C2 and C6). The results also showed spatial homogeneity of T2 values in the C3-C4, C4-C5, and C5-C6 discs, while C2-C3, C6-C7, and C7-T1 showed significant differences between ROIs. The findings indicate there may be inherent differences in T2-relaxation time properties between different cervical discs. Clinical evaluations utilizing T2-mapping techniques in the cervical spine may need to be level-dependent.
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, GRJ 1215, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Sean J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Driscoll
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, GRJ 1215, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.|Department of Spinal Surgery, Second Xiangya Hospital and Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Weiye
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Imaging and Intervention, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, YAW 6E, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Torriani
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, GRJ 1215, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Haiqing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Spine Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, YAW 3A, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Kirkham B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.affiliation: Spine Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, YAW 3A, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, GRJ 1215, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. gli1@mgh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Guoan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D063189:Symptom Assessment
keywords: Cervical spine; In vivo; Intervertebral disc; Magnetic resonance imaging; T2 mapping