Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Three-dimensional ultrashort echo time (3D UTE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the normal and degenerative disco-vertebral complex at 4.7 T: a feasibility study with longitudinal evaluation

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Spine Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

To assess feasibility of a three-dimensional ultrashort echo time (3D-UTE)-sequence to evaluate normal and pathological disco-vertebral complex (DVC), with assessment of its different portions in a rat model of degenerative disk disease (DDD) with histological correlation. To assess whether this sequence, in comparison with long echo time T2-weighted sequence, is able to monitor DDD with differentiation of early from chronic DVC changes in pathological mechanical conditions.

Methods

Five rats were induced with DDD model by percutaneous disk trituration of the tail with an 18-G needle under US-guidance and imaged at 4.7 T. MRI protocol included fat-saturated-T2 (RARE) and 3D-UTE-sequences performed at baseline (day 0. n = 5 animals /10 DVC) and each week (W) from W1 to W10 postoperatively. Visual analysis and signal intensity measurements of SNR and CNR of all DVC portions were performed on RARE and UTE images. Following killing (baseline, n = 1/2 DVC; W2, n = 2/4 DVC; W10, n = 2/4 DVC), histological analysis was performed and compared with MRI.

Results

In normal DVC, unlike conventional RARE-sequences, 3D-UTE allowed complete identification of DVC zonal anatomy including on visual analysis and CNR measurements. In pathological conditions, SNR and CNR measurements of the annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus on 3D-UTE distinguished early discitis at W1 from chronic discopathy (P < 0.001 for SNR and P < 0.001 for CNR). Neither the normal complete anatomy of the DVC nor its pathological patterns could be assessed on conventional sequences.

Conclusions

Unlike conventional sequences, 3D-UTE enables visualization of the complete normal DVC anatomy and enables monitoring of DDD differentiating between early DVC changes from chronic ones.

Level of evidence I

Diagnostic: individual cross-sectional studies with the consistently applied reference standard and blinding.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Du J, Bydder M, Takahashi AM, Chung CB (2008) Two-dimensional ultrashort echo time imaging using a spiral trajectory. Magn Reson Imag 26:304–312

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Du J, Takahashi AM, Bae WC, Chung CB, Bydder GM (2010) Dual inversion recovery, ultrashort echo time (DIR UTE) imaging: creating high contrast for short-T2 species. Magn Reson Med 63:447–455

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Gatehouse PD, Bydder GM (2003) Magnetic resonance imaging of short T2 structures in tissue. Clin Radiol 58:1–19

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Henkelman RM, Stanisz GJ, Graham SJ (2001) Magnetization transfer in MRI: a review. NMR Biomed 14:57–64

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Pfirrmann CW, Metzdorf A, Zanetti M, Hodler J, Boos N (2001) Magnetic resonance classification of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 26(17):1873–1878

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Moon SM, Yoder JH, Wright AC, Smith LJ, Vresilovic EJ, Elliott DM (2013) Evaluation of intervertebral disc cartilaginous endplate structure using magnetic resonance imaging. Eur Spine J 22(8):1820–1828

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Cao Y, Liao S, Zeng H, Ni S et al (2017) 3D characterization of morphological changes in the intervertebral disc and endplate during aging: a propagation phase contrast synchrotron micro-tomography study. Sci Rep 7:43094

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Gruber HE et al (2005) Vertebral endplate architecture and vascularization: application of micro-computerized tomography, a vascular tracer, and immunocytochemistry in analyses of disc degeneration in the aging sand rat. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 30:2593–2600

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Chen KC, Tran B, Biswas R, Statum S, Masuda K, Chung CB et al (2016) Evaluation of the disco-vertebral junction using ultrashort time-to-echo magnetic resonance imaging: inter-reader agreement and association with vertebral endplate lesions. Skeletal Radiol 45(9):1249–1256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Bae WC, Statum S, Zhang Z, Yamaguchi T, Wolfson T, Gamst AC, Du J, Bydder GM, Masuda K, Chung CB (2013) Morphology of the cartilaginous endplates in human intervertebral disks with ultrashort echo time MR imaging. Radiology 266(2):564–574

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Berg-Johansen B, Han M, Fields AJ, Liebenberg EC, Lim BJ, Larson PE, Gunduz-Demir C, Kazakia GJ, Krug R, Lotz JC (2018) Cartilage endplate thickness variation measured by ultrashort echo-time MRI Is associated with adjacent disc degeneration. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 43(10):E592–E600

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Kim YJ, Cha JG, Shin YS, Chaudhari AS, Suh YJ, Hwan Yoon S, Gold GE (2018) 3D ultrashort TE MRI for evaluation of cartilaginous endplate of cervical disk in vivo: feasibility and correlation with disk degeneration in T2-weighted spin-echo sequence. AJR Am J Roentgenol 210(5):1131–1140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Bierry G, Jehl F, Boehm N, Robert P, Dietemann JL, Kremer S (2009) Macrophage imaging by USPIO-enhanced MR for the differentiation of infectious osteomyelitis and aseptic vertebral inflammation. Eur Radiol 19(7):1604–1611

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Hirata H, Yurube T, Kakutani K, Maeno K, Takada T, Yamamoto J et al (2014) A rat tail temporary static compression model reproduces different stages of intervertebral disc degeneration with decreased notochordal cell phenotype. J Orthop Res 32(3):455–463

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Fernández-Susavila H, Pardo-Seco JP, Iglesias-Rey R, Sobrino T, Campos F, Díez-Ulloa MA (2017) Model of disc degeneration in rat tail induced through a vascular isolation of vertebral endplates. J Invest Surg 25:1–10

    Google Scholar 

  16. Georgy M, Stern M, Murphy K (2017) What Is the role of the bacterium propionibacterium acnes in type 1 modic changes? A review of the literature. Can Assoc Radiol J 68(4):419–424

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Miraux S, Massot P, Ribot EJ, Franconi JM, Thiaudiere E (2008) 3D true FISP imaging of mouse brain at 4.7T and 9.4T. J Magn Reson Imag 28(2):497–503

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Constantinides D, Atalar E, McVeigh ER (1997) Signal-to-noise measurements in magnitude images from NMR phased arrays. Magn Reson Med 38(5):852–857

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Roberts S, Evans H, Trivedi J, Menage J (2006) Histology and pathology of the human intervertebral disc. J Bone Joint Surg Am 88(Suppl 2):10–14

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Böker SM, Bender YY, Adams LC, Fallenberg EM, Wagner M, Hamm B et al (2017) Evaluation of sclerosis in Modic changes of the spine using susceptibility-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Eur J Radiol 88:148–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Bae WC, Statum S, Zhang Z et al (2013) Morphology of the cartilaginous endplates in human intervertebral disks with ultrashort echo time MR imaging. Radiology 266(2):564–574

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Crockett MT, Kelly BS, van Baarsel S, Kavanagh EC (2017) Modic type 1 vertebral endplate changes: injury, inflammation, or infection? AJR Am J Roentgenol 209(1):167–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Ulrich JA, Liebenberg EC, Thuillier DU et al (2007) ISSLS prize winner: repeated disc injury causes persistent inflammation. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 32:2812–2819

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Roberts S, Menage J, Urban JPG (1989) Biomechanical and structural properties of the catilage end-plate and its relation to the intervertebral disc. Spine 14:166–174

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Wang Y, Battie MC, Boyd SK, Videman T (2011) The osseous endplates in lumbar vertebrae: thickness, bone mineral density and their associations with age and disk degeneration. Bone 48:804–809

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, University Hospital of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France

    Benjamin Dallaudière & Olivier Hauger

  2. Centre de Résonance Magnétique des Systèmes Biologiques, CNRS/University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France

    Benjamin Dallaudière, Emeline J. Ribot, Aurélien J. Trotier, Stéphane Loubrie, Laurence Dallet, Sylvain Miraux & Olivier Hauger

  3. Plateau de Morphologie, Inserm, Université Paris Diderot-Paris 7, UMR 1152, Paris, France

    Olivier Thibaudeau

Authors
  1. Benjamin Dallaudière
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Emeline J. Ribot
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Aurélien J. Trotier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Stéphane Loubrie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Laurence Dallet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Olivier Thibaudeau
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Sylvain Miraux
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Olivier Hauger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Benjamin Dallaudière.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Dallaudière, B., Ribot, E.J., Trotier, A.J. et al. Three-dimensional ultrashort echo time (3D UTE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the normal and degenerative disco-vertebral complex at 4.7 T: a feasibility study with longitudinal evaluation. Eur Spine J 30, 1144–1154 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-021-06755-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-021-06755-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation