Morphology of the Cartilaginous Endplates in Human Intervertebral Disks with Ultrashort Echo Time MR Imaging

Bae, Won C.; Statum, Sheronda; Zhang, Zhao; Yamaguchi, Takahiro; Wolfson, Tanya; Gamst, Anthony; Du, Jiang; Bydder, Graeme M.; Masuda, Koichi; Chung, Christine B.

doi:10.1148/radiol.12121181

Cited by 57 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…In addition, histology was performed which confirmed that the MRI FLASH sequence successfully detected the CEP and provided an accurate measurement of CEP thickness. Our MRI FLASH microstructural observations are consistent with recent ultrashort echo time MR imaging of uncalcified and calcified CEP [37] although that study did not measure CEP thickness. The CEP thickness measured in the mid-sagittal plane both ex vivo and in vivo gave similar results, showing no effect of level, but the CEP becomes thinner toward the center of the disc.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Evaluation of intervertebral disc cartilaginous endplate structure using magnetic resonance imaging

et al. 2013

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Purpose The cartilaginous endplate (CEP) is a thin layer of hyaline cartilage positioned between the vertebral endplate and nucleus pulposus (NP) that functions both as a mechanical barrier and as a gateway for nutrient transport into the disc. Despite its critical role in disc nutrition and degeneration, the morphology of the CEP has not been well characterized. The objective of this study was to visualize and report observations of the CEP three-dimensional morphology, and quantify CEP thickness using an MRI FLASH (fast low-angle shot) pulse sequence. Methods MR imaging of ex vivo human cadaveric lumbar spine segments (N = 17) was performed in a 7T MRI scanner with sequence parameters that were selected by utilizing highresolution T1 mapping, and an analytical MRI signal model to optimize image contrast between CEP and NP. The CEP thickness at five locations along the mid-sagittal AP direction (center, 5 mm, 10 mm off-center towards anterior and posterior) was measured, and analyzed using two-way ANOVA and a post hoc Bonferonni test. For further investigation, six in vivo volunteers were imaged with a similar sequence in a 3T MRI scanner. In addition, decalcified and undecalcified histology was performed, which confirmed that the FLASH sequence successfully detected the CEP. Results CEP thickness determined by MRI in the midsagittal plane across all lumbar disc levels and locations was 0.77 ± 0.24 mm ex vivo. The CEP thickness was not different across disc levels, but was thinner toward the center of the disc. Conclusions This study demonstrates the potential of MRI FLASH imaging for structural quantification of the CEP geometry, which may be developed as a technique to evaluate changes in the CEP with disc degeneration in future applications.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Evaluation of intervertebral disc cartilaginous endplate structure using magnetic resonance imaging

et al. 2013

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“…11,41 Recent studies indicated that new sequences, for example, ultrashort echo time and fast low-angle shot can enhance visualization of the endplate's anatomic details. 42–44 If these sequences can also demonstrate sensitivity to variation in collagen content, then our findings suggest that such sequences could enable noninvasive assessment of endplate biomechanical properties, which might prove useful for prognostic purposes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Influence of biochemical composition on endplate cartilage tensile properties in the human lumbar spine

Fields

Rodriguez

Gary

et al. 2013

Journal Orthopaedic Research

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Endplate cartilage integrity is critical to spine health and is presumably impaired by deterioration in biochemical composition. Yet, quantitative relationships between endplate biochemical composition and biomechanical properties are unavailable. Using endplate cartilage harvested from human lumbar spines (six donors, ages 51–67 years) we showed that endplate biochemical composition has a significant influence on its equilibrium tensile properties and that the presence of endplate damage associates with a diminished composition–function relationship. We found that the equilibrium tensile modulus (5.9±5.7 MPa) correlated significantly with collagen content (559±147 μg/mg dry weight, r2=0.35) and with the collagen/GAG ratio (6.0±2.1, r2=0.58). Accounting for the damage status of the adjacent cartilage improved the latter correlation (r2=0.77) and indicated that samples with adjacent damage such as fissures and avulsions had a diminished modulus–collagen/GAG relationship (p=0.02). Quasi-linear viscoelastic relaxation properties (C, t1, and t2) did not correlate with biochemical composition. We conclude that reduced matrix quantity decreases the equilibrium tensile modulus of human endplate cartilage and that characteristics of biochemical composition that are independent of matrix quantity, that is, characteristics related to matrix quality, may also be important.

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“…For example, endplate boundary conditions obtained from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based FE modeling of IVDs have aided predictions of failure patterns made with high-resolution peripheral QCT (HR-pQCT)-based FE models (Maquer et al, 2015). MRI protocols that resolve the condition of the IVD and, separately, the cartilaginous endplate (Bae et al, 2013; Fields et al, 2015), may be particularly advantageous for estimating load transfer between IVD and vertebra.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Accuracy of finite element analyses of CT scans in predictions of vertebral failure patterns under axial compression and anterior flexion

Jackman

DelMonaco

Morgan

2016

Journal of Biomechanics

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Finite element (FE) models built from quantitative computed tomography (QCT) scans can provide patient-specific estimates of bone strength and fracture risk in the spine. While prior studies demonstrate accurate QCT-based FE predictions of vertebral stiffness and strength, the accuracy of the predicted failure patterns, i.e., the locations where failure occurs within the vertebra and the way in which the vertebra deforms as failure progresses, is less clear. This study used digital volume correlation (DVC) analyses of time-lapse micro-computed tomography (µCT) images acquired during mechanical testing (compression and anterior flexion) of thoracic spine segments (T7–T9, n = 28) to measure displacements occurring throughout the T8 vertebral body at the ultimate point. These displacements were compared to those simulated by QCT-based FE analyses of T8. We hypothesized that the FE predictions would be more accurate when the boundary conditions are based on measurements of pressure distributions within intervertebral discs of similar level of disc degeneration vs. boundary conditions representing rigid platens. The FE simulations captured some of the general, qualitative features of the failure patterns; however, displacement errors ranged 12–279%. Contrary to our hypothesis, no differences in displacement errors were found when using boundary conditions representing measurements of disc pressure vs. rigid platens. The smallest displacement errors were obtained using boundary conditions that were measured directly by DVC at the T8 endplates. These findings indicate that further work is needed to develop methods of identifying physiological loading conditions for the vertebral body, for the purpose of achieving robust, patient-specific FE analyses of failure mechanisms.

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Morphology of the Cartilaginous Endplates in Human Intervertebral Disks with Ultrashort Echo Time MR Imaging

Cited by 57 publications

References 35 publications

Evaluation of intervertebral disc cartilaginous endplate structure using magnetic resonance imaging

Evaluation of intervertebral disc cartilaginous endplate structure using magnetic resonance imaging

Influence of biochemical composition on endplate cartilage tensile properties in the human lumbar spine

Accuracy of finite element analyses of CT scans in predictions of vertebral failure patterns under axial compression and anterior flexion

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