Age-dependent microstructural changes of the intervertebral disc: a validation of proteoglycan-sensitive spectral CT.
Eur Radiol
; 31(12): 9390-9398, 2021 Dec.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33993329
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
To analyze the two major components of the intervertebral disc (IVD) in an ex vivo phantom, as well as age-related changes in patients.METHODS:
Collagen 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).RESULTS:
DECT 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).CONCLUSIONS:
DECT-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).Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Anillo Fibroso
/
Disco Intervertebral
Tipo de estudio:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Observational_studies
Límite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Eur Radiol
Asunto de la revista:
RADIOLOGIA
Año:
2021
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Alemania