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Abstract #3212

A Novel DTI-Histology Based 3D Model of the Annulus Fibrosus Microstructure Viewed in the Light of Evolutionary Medicine

Dan Stein1, Yaniv Assaf2, Gali Dar3, Israel Hershkovits1

1Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler faculty of medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel, Israel; 2Department of Neurobiology, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Israel; 3Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare & Health Studies, Haifa University, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel


This study utilizes the powerful tools of MRI diffusion in order to bring new understanding to the basic microstructure of the intervertebral discs annulus fibrosus. DTI images are presented of the anisotropic properties of the annulus fibrosus from which fiber tracking was extracted, revealing the discs collagen structure. Data was correlated with histological images. The architecture of this important structure is far from being fully understood hence viewing it here three dimensionally for the first time, is of extremely high importance for dealing with the very common pathology of low back pain.

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