Apparent diffusion coefficient in normal and abnormal pattern of intervertebral lumbar discs: initial experience

作     者：Gang Niu Xuewen Yu Jian Yang Rong Wang Shaojuan Zhang Youmin Guo 

作者机构：Department of Diagnostic Radiology the First Hospital of Medical School Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an Shaanxi 710061 China 

出 版 物：《The Journal of Biomedical Research》 (生物医学研究杂志（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2011年第25卷第3期

页      面：197-203页

学科分类：0831[工学-生物医学工程（可授工学、理学、医学学位）] 1004[医学-公共卫生与预防医学(可授医学、理学学位)] 08[工学] 0803[工学-光学工程] 10[医学] 

基　　金：supported by the National Natural Foundation of China (No.30970797) Shaanxi Science and Technology Plan Projects (No. 2008k09-1) 

主　　题：intervertebral lumbar disc apparent diffusion coefficient disc bulging disc herniation 

摘      要：The aim of the present study was to compare the relationship of morphologically defined non-bulging/herni-ated, bulging and herniated intervertebral lumbar discs with quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient （ADC）. Thirty-two healthy volunteers and 28 patients with back pain or sciatica were examined by MRI. All intervertebral lumbar discs from L1 to S1 were classified according to morphological abnormality and degenerated grades. The ADC values of nucleus pulposus （NP） were measured and recorded. The significant differences about mean ADC values of NP were found between non-bulging/herniated discs and bulging discs as well as herniated discs （P 0.05）, whereas there were no significant differences in ADC values between bulging and herniated discs （P 0.05）. Moreover, statistically significant relationship was found in the mean ADC values of NP between ＂non-bulging/herniated and non-degenerated discs＂ and ＂non-bulging/herniated degenerated discs＂ as well as herniated discs （P 0.05）. Linear regression analysis between ADC value and disc level revealed an inverse correlation （r = -0.18）. The ADC map of the NP is a potentially useful tool for the quantitative assessment of componential and molecular alterations accompanied with lumbar disc abnormalities.