Abstract #0419

In Vivo T2 & T1rho Mapping of Rabbit Disc using Spin-Lock Sequence at 3T

Chan Hong Moon¹, Lloydine Jacobs^2,3, Jung-Hwan Kim¹, Xiang He¹, James Kang^2,3, Kyongtae Ty Bae¹

¹Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; ²Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; ³Ferguson Laboratory for Orthopaedic & Spine Research

We successfully obtained high-resolution, high-contrast T2 and T1rho images and measured T2 and T1rho in normal rabbit spine discs using in-house dual-tuned RF coil and SL sequence at 3T. Further study is necessary to demonstrate difference in T2 and T1rho between normal and degenerative disc models in rabbits in order to validate these imaging biomarkers for degenerative disc disease.