Abstract
Objective To evaluate early intervertebral disc degeneration quantified by T1ρ- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)at 3.0T in asymptomatic pilots compared with a health control group. Methods Total 69 volunteers were divided in two groups. Flying personnel group: 34 asymptomatic male pilots. Control group: 35 asymptomatic volunteers. Both sagittal conventional T2- and T1ρ-weigted images were acquired at every examination of lumbar disc and uploaded to workstation. The sagittal T1ρ maps were reformatted for each of the disks and mean T1ρ values of the central disk space nucleus pulposus were determined by FUNCTOOL software and generated pseudeo-color images. The degenerative grade of each lumbar disc was assessed from T2-weighted images according to Pfirrmann degenerative grade. The correlation between T1ρ value and degenerative grade was analysed. The correlation between T1ρ value and degenerative grade was analysed in flying personnel group and control group. The T1ρ values were compared upon Pfirrmann degenerative grade, varied intervertebral disks and age. Results The T1ρ value of the flying personnel group was significantly lower than that of the control group (t=3.154, P 0.05). The T1ρ value comparisons for 30-39 yr and ≥40 yr age ranges showed significant differences between flying personnel group and control group (t=4.438, 4.646, P 0.05). Conclusions Disc degeneration occurred on flying personnel is more seriously than the control group and the process of degeneration is more quickly. Long-term high load on spine column of flying personnel may be the important reason of high load accelerating the degeneration. T1ρ imaging technigue can be a valid clinical tool in quantitatively diagnosing early intervertebral disc degeneration in asymptomatic flying personnel. Key words: Magnetic resonance imaging; Lumbar vertebrae; Intervertebral disc; Flying personnel
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