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.