The application of 23Na DQF NMR spectroscopy for the study of spinal disc degeneration

• Published in: Magnetic resonance in medicine Vol. 60; no. 2; pp. 246 - 252
• Main Authors: Ooms, Kristopher J., Cannella, Marco, Vega, Alexander J., Marcolongo, Michele, Polenova, Tatyana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.08.2008
• ISSN: 0740-3194; 1522-2594
• DOI: 10.1002/mrm.21637

Degenerative disc disease is an irreversible process that leads to a loss of mechanical integrity and back pain in millions of people. In this report, 23 Na DQF NMR spectroscopy is used to study disc tissues in two stages of degeneration. Initial results indicate that the 23 Na DQF signal may be useful for determining the degree of degeneration. The spectral analysis reveals the presence of sodium environments with different residual quadrupolar couplings and T 2 relaxation times that we attribute to different regions, or compartments, corresponding to different biochemical regions in the tissue. In general it is found that there are compartments with no residual quadrupolar couplings, compartments with moderate couplings, 200 to 1000 Hz, and compartments with couplings ranging from 1500 to 3000 Hz. The results indicate that 23 Na DQF NMR spectroscopy provides a probe of the degenerative state of the intervertebral disc tissues, and might hold potential as a novel diagnostic method for detection of disc degeneration.