Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 21, 2025
A Mobile Outside-in Technique of Transforaminal Lumbar Endoscopy for Lumbar Disc Herniations
Published on: August 7, 2018
Ultrashort time-to-echo T2* and T2* relaxometry for evaluation of lumbar disc degeneration: a comparative study
Li-Lan Wu1, Li-Heng Liu2,3, Sheng-Xiang Rao2,3
1Department of Radiology, Xiamen Branch, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Xiamen, China.
Background:
To compare potential of ultrashort time-to-echo (UTE) T2* mapping and T2* values from T2*-weighted imaging for assessing lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD),with Pfirrmann grading as a reference standard.
Methods:
UTE-T2* and T2* values of 366 lumbar discs (L1/2-L5/S1) in 76 subjects were measured in 3 segmented regions: anterior annulus fibrosus, nucleus pulposus (NP), and posterior annulus fibrosus. Lumbar intervertebral discs were divided into 3 categories based on 5-level Pfirrmann grading: normal (Pfirrmann grade I),early disc degeneration (Pfirrmann grades II-III), and advanced disc degeneration (Pfirrmann grades IV-V). Regional differences between UTE-T2* and T2* relaxometry and correlation with degeneration were statistically analyzed.
Results:
UTE-T2* and T2*value correlated negatively with Pfirrmann grades (P < 0.001). In NP, correlations with Pfirrmann grade were high with UTE-T2* values (r = - 0.733; P < 0.001) and moderate with T2* values (r = -0.654; P < 0.001). Diagnostic accuracy of detecting early IVDD was better with UTE-T2* mapping than T2* mapping (P < 0.05),with receiver operating characteristic analysis area under the curve of 0.715-0.876.
Conclusions:
UTE-T2* relaxometry provides another promising magnetic resonance imaging sequence for quantitatively evaluate lumbar IVDD and was more accurate than T2*mapping in the earlier stage degenerative process.
