Evaluation of Cartilaginous Endplate Degeneration Based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Xiaofeng Chen,Xi Li,Zhuangxun Han,Dongling Cai,Junxian Xie,Zehui Lao,Hao Li,Xueyuan Chu,Weijun Guo

doi:10.1155/2021/5534227

Abstract

In order to carry out the evaluation of cartilaginous endplate degeneration based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), this paper retrospectively analyzed the MRI data from 120 cases of patients who were diagnosed as lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration and underwent MRI examinations in the designated hospital of this study from June 2018 to June 2020. All cases underwent conventional sagittal and transverse T1WI and T2WI scans, and some cases were added with sagittal fat-suppression T2WI scans; then, the number of degenerative cartilaginous endplates and its ratio to degenerative lumbar intervertebral discs were counted and calculated, and the T1WI and T2WI signal characteristics of each degenerative cartilage endplate and its correlation with cartilaginous endplate degeneration were summarized, compared, and analyzed to evaluate the cartilaginous endplate degeneration by those magnetic resonance information. The study results show that there were 33 cases of cartilaginous endplate degeneration, accounting for 27.50% of all those 120 patients with lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (54 degenerative endplates in total), including 9 cases with low T1WI and high T2WI signals, 5 cases with high T1WI and low T2WI signals, 12 cases with high and low mixed T1WI and high or mixed T2WI signals, and 4 cases with both low T1WI and T2WI signals. Therefore, MRI scanning can clearly present the abnormal signals of lumbar intervertebral disc and cartilaginous endplate degeneration, accurately identity their lesion locations, and type their degenerative characteristics, which may be best inspection method for the evaluation of cartilaginous endplate degeneration in the early diagnosis of intervertebral disc degeneration. The study results of this paper provide a reference for further researches on the evaluation of cartilaginous endplate degeneration based on magnetic resonance imaging.

Highlights

Cartilaginous endplate of lumbar intervertebral disc is the cartilages that cover the edge of lumbar intervertebral disc, which serves as the junction between intervertebral disc and bony vertebra and forms intervertebral disc structure together with nucleus pulposus and fibrous annulus
In order to carry out the evaluation of cartilaginous endplate degeneration based on Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), this paper retrospectively analyzed the MRI data from 120 cases of patients who were diagnosed as lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration and underwent MRI examinations
Previous studies have shown that the apoptotic rate of cartilaginous endplate cells is much higher than that of nucleus pulposus cells, which is speculated that cartilaginous endplate degeneration is earlier than nucleus pulposus, and cartilaginous endplate degeneration will lead to lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration

Summary

Introduction

Cartilaginous endplate of lumbar intervertebral disc is the cartilages that cover the edge of lumbar intervertebral disc, which serves as the junction between intervertebral disc and bony vertebra and forms intervertebral disc structure together with nucleus pulposus and fibrous annulus. All cases underwent conventional sagittal and transverse T1WI and T2WI scans, and some cases were added with sagittal fat-suppression T2WI scans; the number of degenerative cartilaginous endplates and its ratio to degenerative lumbar intervertebral discs were counted and calculated, and the T1WI and T2WI signal characteristics of each degenerative cartilage endplate and its correlation with cartilaginous endplate degeneration were summarized, compared, and analyzed to evaluate the cartilaginous endplate degeneration by those magnetic resonance information. E detailed chapters of this paper are arranged as follows: Section 2 introduces the materials and methods; Section 3 counts and calculates the number of degenerative cartilaginous endplates and its ratio to degenerative lumbar intervertebral discs; Section 4 summarizes, compares, and analyzes the correlation between cartilaginous endplate degenerations and their magnetic resonance signals and use the MRI information to assess the degree of cartilaginous endplate degeneration; Section 5 discusses the impact of cartilaginous endplate degeneration on intervertebral disc degeneration and its clinical significance; and Section 6 is the conclusion All cases underwent conventional sagittal and transverse T1WI and T2WI scans, and some cases were added with sagittal fat-suppression T2WI scans; the number of degenerative cartilaginous endplates and its ratio to degenerative lumbar intervertebral discs were counted and calculated, and the T1WI and T2WI signal characteristics of each degenerative cartilage endplate and its correlation with cartilaginous endplate degeneration were summarized, compared, and analyzed to evaluate the cartilaginous endplate degeneration by those magnetic resonance information. e detailed chapters of this paper are arranged as follows: Section 2 introduces the materials and methods; Section 3 counts and calculates the number of degenerative cartilaginous endplates and its ratio to degenerative lumbar intervertebral discs; Section 4 summarizes, compares, and analyzes the correlation between cartilaginous endplate degenerations and their magnetic resonance signals and use the MRI information to assess the degree of cartilaginous endplate degeneration; Section 5 discusses the impact of cartilaginous endplate degeneration on intervertebral disc degeneration and its clinical significance; and Section 6 is the conclusion

Methods

Results

Conclusion