In vitro 1H NMR "mapping" of human intervertebral discs

Human intervertebral discs were investigated by 1H NMR in vitro. The measured parameters of samples differently located in discs give the "maps" of discs. The spin-lattice relaxation-time maps show similar structure to dry matter and bound water maps, which might mean the future possibility to detect certain disc processes via accurate T1 images.