Discovertebral junction of the spine--a cadaveric study by spin-echo MR imaging.

To evaluate the MR appearance of the discovertebral junction (DVJ) of the spine, we examined 161 DVJs in 27 cadaveric spines using superconductive MR imaging. T1-, proton density-, and T2-weighted spin-echo imaging were used. With a small surface coil, higher resolution and more sharply defined contours of the DVJ were obtained than when using a head coil. Cortical bone had very low signal intensity in all sequences. Cartilaginous end-plate (CP) was of low to intermediate signal intensity on T1-weighted images, and of low signal intensity on proton density- and T2-weighted images. MR images were able to reveal the gross CP appearances, Schmorl's nodules, and adjacent bone marrow pathology. We conclude that MR imaging is valuable for assessing abnormalities of the DVJ.

[1]  R M Henkelman,et al.  Effects of collagen orientation on MR imaging characteristics of bovine articular cartilage. , 1993, Radiology.

[2]  Lindsay J. Rowe,et al.  Degenerative Diseases of the Vertebral Column , 1985, Radiology.

[3]  R. Benn,et al.  Vertebral end-plate lesions (Schmorl's nodes) in the dorsolumbar spine. , 1976, Annals of the rheumatic diseases.

[4]  V. Haughton,et al.  Fibrous structure in the intervertebral disk: correlation of MR appearance with anatomic sections. , 1989, AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology.

[5]  G. Walters,et al.  Magnetic resonance imaging of acute symptomatic Schmorl's node formation. , 1991, Pediatric emergency care.

[6]  M. B. Coventry,et al.  THE INTERVERTEBRAL DISC: ITS MICROSCOPIC ANATOMY AND PATHOLOGY , 1945 .

[7]  D W Piraino,et al.  Vertebral osteomyelitis: assessment using MR. , 1985, Radiology.

[8]  L. Gilula,et al.  Radiologic and pathologic patterns of end-plate-based vertebral sclerosis. , 1988, Investigative radiology.

[9]  R. Lufkin,et al.  MR imaging of the lumbar spine: anatomic correlations and the effects of technical variations. , 1986, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[10]  R. Cailliet,et al.  Vertebral End-Plate Changes With Aging of Human Vertebrae , 1982, Spine.

[11]  J. Seeger,et al.  Traumatic lesions of the discovertebral junction in the lumbar spine. , 1976, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[12]  V. Haughton.  MR imaging of the spine. , 1988, Radiology.

[13]  M. Zlatkin,et al.  Normal and degenerated intervertebral disk: in vivo and in vitro MR imaging with histopathologic correlation. , 1991, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[14]  L T Twomey,et al.  Age changes in lumbar vertebrae and intervertebral discs. , 1987, Clinical orthopaedics and related research.

[15]  W. Rauschning,et al.  Mr Imaging with Histopathological Correlation in Vertebral Metastases of Breast Cancer , 1992, Acta radiologica.

[16]  J. Hesselink,et al.  Spine imaging: history, achievements, remaining frontiers. , 1988, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[17]  T. Foster,et al.  A comparison of default and reduced bandwidth MR imaging of the spine at 1.5 T. , 1990, AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology.

[18]  V. Haughton,et al.  Lumbar intervertebral disk: correlative MR and anatomic study. , 1985, Radiology.

[19]  A. Norman,et al.  TUMORS OF THE SPINE AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE INTERVERTEBRAL DISK; A ROENTGENOGRAPHIC-ANATOMIC CORRELATION. , 1964, The American journal of roentgenology, radium therapy, and nuclear medicine.

[20]  A. Dhem,et al.  Microradiographic study of the normal human vertebral body. , 1974, Acta anatomica.

[21]  T J Masaryk,et al.  Degenerative disk disease: assessment of changes in vertebral body marrow with MR imaging. , 1988, Radiology.

[22]  D. Resnick,et al.  Intervertebral disc abnormalities associated with vertebral metastasis: observations in patients and cadavers with prostatic cancer. , 1978, Investigative radiology.

[23]  J. B. Kneeland,et al.  Articular cartilage: correlation of histologic zones with signal intensity at MR imaging. , 1991, Radiology.

[24]  D. Resnick,et al.  Intravertebral disk herniations: cartilaginous (Schmorl's) nodes. , 1978, Radiology.

[25]  Pritzker Kp.  Aging and degeneration in the lumbar intervertebral disc. , 1977 .

[26]  R. Edelman,et al.  High-resolution surface-coil imaging of lumbar disk disease. , 1985, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.