Meeting Banner
Abstract #0317

Assessment of glycosaminoglycan content in lumbar intervertebral discs with chemical exchange saturation transfer imaging: comparison with T1-rho measurement

Osamu Togao 1 , Akio Hiwatashi 1 , Tatsuhiro Wada 2 , Koji Yamashita 1 , Kazufumi Kikuchi 1 , Chiaki Tokunaga 2 , Yuriko Suzuki 3 , Jochen Keupp 4 , and Hiroshi Honda 1

1 Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan, 2 Division of Radiology, Department of Medical Technology, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan, 3 Philips Electronics Japan, Tokyo, Japan, 4 Philips Research, Hamburg, Germany

Glycosaminoglycan CEST (gagCEST) imaging is an emerging molecular MR imaging technique to directly measure in-vivo GAG content in cartilaginous tissue. In this study, we demonstrated the utility of this method in assessments of lumbar intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration by comparing with T1-rho, an established quantitative biomarker of IDD, and conventional morphological assessments. GagCEST correlated with T1-rho and Pfirrmann grades in lumbar IVD degeneration. GagCEST can provide a quantitative measure to assess degeneration of IVDs.

This abstract and the presentation materials are available to members only; a login is required.

Join Here