Sarah Pownder1,
Matthew F. Koff1, Andrew James2, Harry H. Gebhard2,
Roger Hartl2, Robby D. Bowles3,
1Department of
Radiolgy & Imaging - MRI, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY,
USA; 2Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Brain
& Spine Center; 3Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell
University
This study used a clinical magnet (3T) to assess morphologic and quantitative MR features (T1rho and T2 mapping) of a rat tail with a tissue engineered disc replacement. The disc construct was shorter, wider and had a thicker annulus than the normal disc. The T2 values of the nucleus, annulus, and endplate of the disc construct were significantly shorter than the normal disc. T1rho values of the disc tended to be shorter than normal disc. This study demonstrates the feasibility of quantitative MRI, at clinically relevant field strengths, to assess preclinical intervertebral disc morphology and biochemical composition.
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