7T MRI Imaging of Lumbar Disc Degeneration

Male lumbar motion segments (n = 22) from nine human cadavers (age 60.9 ± 10.2 years; range 42–75 years, levels L1–L2 to L5–S1) were imaged using a Siemens 7T MRI, as in^{23 (link)} (Table 1). Both the superior and inferior CEP from each disc were imaged in 22 motion segments, although 1 segment only had 1 discernible endplate (n = 43 total CEP). Disc degeneration was graded using the Pfirrmann scoring system and by T2 relaxation time of the nucleus pulposus.^{14 (link),24 (link)} Pfirrmann grade 2 was classified as non-degenerate while grades 3–4 were classified as degenerate. No grades 1 or 5 discs were present in the data set or used in this study. Enhancement of CEP contrast was achieved using a previously developed 200 × 200 × 200µm³ 3D FLASH MRI technique. Imaging parameters were TR = 9ms, TE = 3.7ms, flip angle = 20°.^{23 (link)}