title: Evaluation of Water Retention in Lumbar Intervertebral Disks Before and After Exercise Stress With T2 Mapping.
abstract: METHODS
  T2 mapping was used to quantify moisture content of the lumbar spinal disk nucleus pulposus (NP) and annulus fibrosus before and after exercise stress, and after rest, to evaluate the intervertebral disk function.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To clarify water retention in intervertebral disks of the lumbar vertebrae by performing magnetic resonance imaging before and after exercise stress and quantitatively measuring changes in moisture content of intervertebral disks with T2 mapping.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  To date, a few case studies describe functional evaluation of articular cartilage with T2 mapping; however, T2 mapping to the functional evaluation of intervertebral disks has rarely been applied. Using T2 mapping might help detect changes in the moisture content of intervertebral disks, including articular cartilage, before and after exercise stress, thus enabling the evaluation of changes in water retention shock absorber function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects, comprising 40 healthy individuals (males: 26, females: 14), underwent magnetic resonance imaging T2 mapping before and after exercise stress and after rest. Image J image analysis software was then used to set regions of interest in the obtained images of the anterior annulus fibrosus, posterior annulus fibrosus, and NP. T2 values were measured and compared according to upper vertebrae position and degeneration grade.
  
  
  RESULTS
  T2 values significantly decreased in the NP after exercise stress and significantly increased after rest. According to upper vertebrae position, in all of the upper vertebrae positions, T2 values for the NP significantly decreased after exercise stress and significantly increased after rest. According to the degeneration grade, in the NP of grade 1 and 2 cases, T2 values significantly decreased after exercise stress and significantly increased after rest.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  T2 mapping could be used to not only diagnose the degree of degeneration but also evaluate intervertebral disk function.
  
  
  METHODS
  3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Japan.
authors.forename: Kou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chokan
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Hirooki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: Yoshikuni
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mimata
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yamabe
authors.forename: Itsuko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tsukimura
authors.forename: Ryosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oikawa
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Doita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001834:Body Water / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult