TITLE:
Analysis of Degenerative Discs in Lumbar Spondylolisthesis Using MRI T2 Mapping
AUTHORS:
Tsuneo Takebayashi, Hiroyuki Takashima, Mitsunori Yoshimoto, Yoshinori Terashima, Hajime Tsuda, Kazunori Ida, Toshihiko Yamashita
KEYWORDS:
Degenerative Spondylolisthesis; Intervertebral Disc; T2 Mapping
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Radiology,
Vol.2 No.3,
September
28,
2012
ABSTRACT: Background: Spinal instability, including lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS), mainly results from degeneration of intervertebral discs (IVD) and the facet joints (FJ). Characterization of the relationship between IVD degeneration in cases of lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS), and T2 values may be useful for accurate noninvasive evaluation and subsequent treatment. Thus, the goal of this study was to measure T2 values of IVDs in cases with (DS) and without (NS) spondylolisthesis, and to characterize changes of IVDs in DS. Methods: A total of 40 subjects who presented with L4 spondylolisthesis comprised the DS group. Another 40 subjects who did not have lumbar spondylolisthesis, constituted the NS group. T2 values of IVDs were measured and compared in these groups. Results: T2 values for IVDs tended to be lower in the DS group than in the NS group, and these values were significantly different (p