High contrast cartilaginous endplate imaging in spine using three dimensional dual-inversion recovery prepared ultrashort echo time (3D DIR-UTE) sequence

Abstract

PurposeTo investigate the feasibility and application of a novel imaging technique, a three-dimensional dual adiabatic inversion recovery prepared ultrashort echo time (3D DIR-UTE) sequence, for high contrast assessment of cartilaginous endplate (CEP) imaging with head-to-head comparisons between other UTE imaging techniques.MethodThe DIR-UTE sequence employs two narrow-band adiabatic full passage (AFP) pulses to suppress signals from long T2 water (e.g., nucleus pulposus (NP)) and bone marrow fat (BMF) independently, followed by multispoke UTE acquisition to detect signals from the CEP with short T2 relaxation times. The DIR-UTE sequence, in addition to three other UTE sequences namely, an IR-prepared and fat-saturated UTE (IR-FS-UTE), a T1-weighted and fat-saturated UTE sequence (T1w-FS-UTE), and a fat-saturated UTE (FS-UTE) was used for MR imaging on a 3 T scanner to image six asymptomatic volunteers, six patients with low back pain, as well as a human cadaveric specimen. The contrast-to-noise ratio of the CEP relative to the adjacent structures—specifically the NP and BMF—was then compared from the acquired images across the different UTE sequences.ResultsFor asymptomatic volunteers, the DIR-UTE sequence showed significantly higher contrast-to-noise ratio values between the CEP and BMF (CNRCEP-BMF) (19.9 ± 3.0) and between the CEP and NP (CNRCEP-NP) (23.1 ± 1.7) compared to IR-FS-UTE (CNRCEP-BMF: 17.3 ± 1.2 and CNRCEP-NP: 19.1 ± 1.8), T1w-FS-UTE (CNRCEP-BMF: 9.0 ± 2.7 and CNRCEP-NP: 10.4 ± 3.5), and FS-UTE (CNRCEP-BMF: 7.7 ± 2.2 and CNRCEP-NP: 5.8 ± 2.4) for asymptomatic volunteers (all P-values < 0.001). For the spine sample and patients with low back pain, the DIR-UTE technique detected abnormalities such as irregularities and focal defects in the CEP regions.ConclusionThe 3D DIR-UTE sequence is able to provide high-contrast volumetric CEP imaging for human spines on a clinical 3 T scanner.