ArticleEuropean radiology2021
Age-dependent microstructural changes of the intervertebral disc: a validation of proteoglycan-sensitive spectral CT.
Article in European radiology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.
- Quantification of intervertebral disc degeneration using dual-energy computed tomography collagen maps: a comparative study with MRI Pfirrmann grading.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Collagen-sensitive dual-energy-CT as a quantitative tool for tendinopathy assessment: a prospective diagnostic accuracy study.Skeletal radiology · 2026Article
- Mitochondrial Dynamics Disorder Drives Nucleus Pulposus Cell Senescence in Lumbar Scoliosis of Aging Bipedal Rats Under Asymmetric Force.Stem cells international · 2026Article
- Spectral CT electron density for evaluation of lumbar intervertebral disk degeneration.PloS one · 2026Article
- Diagnostic accuracy of dual energy computed tomography for suspected pyogenic spondylodiscitis.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Electron density dual-energy CT can improve the detection of lumbar disc herniation with higher image quality than standard and virtual non-calcium images.European radiology · 2024Article
- Visualizing patterns of intervertebral disc damage with dual-energy computed tomography: assessment of diagnostic accuracy in an ex vivo spine biophantom.Acta radiologica (Stockholm, Sweden : 1987) · 2022Article
- Future of Low-Dose Computed Tomography and Dual-Energy Computed Tomography in Axial Spondyloarthritis.Current rheumatology reports · 2022Review
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
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Abstract
objectiveTo analyze the two major components of the intervertebral disc (IVD) in an ex vivo phantom, as well as age-related changes in patients.
methodsCollagen and chondroitin sulfate were imaged at different concentrations in agar solution. Age-related changes in disc density were retrospectively analyzed in normal-appearing discs in dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) images from a patient cohort with various spinal pathologies (n = 136). All computed tomography (CT) scans were acquired using single-source DECT at 80 and 135 kVp with automatic exposure calculation. In 136 patients, the attenuation of normal-appearing discs on collagen/chondroitin maps (cMaps) correlated with the patients' age with Pearson's r using standardized regions of interest in the anterior anulus fibrosus (AAF) and nucleus pulposus (NP).
resultsDECT collagen mapping revealed concentration-dependent Hounsfield units (HU) of IVD components. For collagen, we found Pearson's r = 0.9610 (95% CI 0.6789-0.9959), p = 0.0023 at 120 kVe, and r = 0.8824 (95% CI 0.2495-0.9871), p = 0.0199 in cMap. For chondroitin sulfate, Pearson's r was 0.9583 (95% CI 0.6603-0.9956), p = 0.0026 at 120 kVp, and r = 0.9646 (95% CI 0.7044-0.9963), p = 0.0019 in cMap. Analysis of normal-appearing IVDs revealed an inverse correlation of density with age in the AAF: Pearson's r = - 0.2294 at 135 kVp (95% CI - 0.4012 to - 0.04203; p=0.0141) and r = - 0.09341 in cMap (95% CI - 0.2777 to 0.09754; p = 0.0003). In the NP, age and density did not correlate significantly at 135 kVp (p = 0.9228) and in cMap (p = 0.3229).
conclusionsDECT-based collagen mapping allows microstructural analysis of the two main intervertebral disc components-collagen and chondroitin sulfate. IVD density declines with age, presumably due to a reduction in collagen and chondroitin sulfate content. Age-related alterations of disc microstructure appear most pronounced in the AAF. KEY POINTS: • DECT-based collagen mapping allows precise analysis of the two main intervertebral disc components-collagen and chondroitin sulfate. • Intervertebral disc (IVD) density declines with age, presumably due to a reduction in collagen and chondroitin sulfate content. • Age-related alterations of disc microstructure are most pronounced in the anterior anulus fibrosus (AAF).
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