ArticleClinical biomechanics (Bristol, Avon)2019
Diffusion based MR measurements correlates with age-related changes in human intervertebral disks.
Article in Clinical biomechanics (Bristol, Avon), 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 7 citations in OpenAlex.
- Physiological Ageing of the Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging, a Systematic Literature Review.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2025Pooled it
- CEST MRI: Translational prospects for intervertebral disc degeneration - from basic research to clinical applications.Journal of orthopaedic translation · 2026Review
- Applications of Diffusion-Weighted MRI to the Musculoskeletal System.Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI · 2024Review
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Authors and funding
2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundUnderstanding the association between MR parameters and age related deterioration in human intervertebral disks forms an important step in the development of clinical diagnostic protocols for disk disease.
methodsTen unfixed thoracic and lumbar cadaver disk joints, age 37-81 years were imaged at 9.4 T using T2 relaxation (CPMG) and ADC (DWI spin echo) MR protocols. For each MR parameter, spatial maps were computed from the axial images, with the AF and NP segmented based on the T2 maps. Linear regression tested for the correlation between mean and variance (COV) of T2 and ADC with age in the disk, nucleus and annulus, and the effect of thoracic vs. lumbar spine on these correlations.
findingsIn the disk, age negatively correlated with mean ADC (P < 0.001) and positively with COV of ADC (P < 0.001) and T2 (P < 0.05). Age was negatively correlated with mean T2 (P < 0.01), mean ADC (P < 0.001) and positively with COV of ADC (P < 0.001) and T2 (P < 0.05) in the NP and positively correlated with mean T2 (P < 0.05), COV of ADC (P < 0.01) and T2 (P < 0.05) and negatively with mean ADC (P < 0.05) in the AF. Compared to thoracic disks, lumbar disks showed higher mean ADC (P < 0.05), lower mean T2 (P < 0.001) and higher COV of ADC (P < 0.01) and T2 (P < 0.05).
interpretationCompared to T2, MR diffusion was a more sensitive measure of age mediated changes in disk tissues. Strong differences in the association of MR parameters with age between the lumbar and thoracic suggest that mechanical environment effects tissue specific MR parameters' association with age.
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