Delphine Pri1,2, Yann-Guirec Manach1,
Guillaume Gilbert3, Gilles Beaudoin4
1Mechanical Engineering,
Ecole Polytechnique de Montral, Montral, Qubec, Canada; 2Research
Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montral, Qubec, Canada; 3Philips
Healthcare, Montral, Qubec, Canada; 4Physics & Biomedical
Engineering, CHUM Notre Dame, Montral, Qubec, Canada
The present question focuses on the influence of mechanical loading during MRI acquisition on the relaxation times, magnetization transfer and diffusion parameters within the intervertebral disc. Quantitative MR measurements were carried out on isolated bovine discs submitted to 0%, 5%, 10%, 20% and 40% deformation. No significant differences were observed between the loading cases for all MR parmeters. Even if the disc conditions changed between the different MR sequences, loading and relaxation of disc tissues did not affect the MRI parameters. Quantitative MRI of isolated discs is not sensitive to the compressive state when changing from 0% to 40% deformation.