Dan Stein, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Yaniv Assaf, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Gali Dar, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Haim Cohen MSc, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Viviane Slon MSc, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Bahaa Medlej MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Israel Hershkovitz PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To explore the 3D architecture of the intervertebral discs’ (IVD) annulus fibrosus (AF) via Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) followed by fiber tracking in order to provide qualitative as well as quantitative information regarding its structure. 

 Eight segments of the AF taken from human lumbar cadavers were scanned on a 7T\30 MRI scanner followed by fiber tracking. The data was than quantitatively analyzed and the structure is presented three dimensionally. 

The mean fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) for the fibers were respectively in the range of 0.35-0.58/ 1.3±0.7 . Mean fiber density for all samples was 84 Mean length found was 2.6mm ±1.9mm and the mean interlamellar angle was in the range of 28⁰-61⁰. 

To our knowledge this is the first time the annulus fibrosus, or any other fibrocartilage tissue has undergone DTI followed by fiber tracking. This has enabled to see for the first time the 3D structure as well as generate quantitative information to characterize the structure, its frequent failure and explore biological variations as well as a source for better computer based models of the IVD.

The exploration of the 3D structure and the quantitative characteristics of the AF using DTI and fiber tracking could be used for objective assessment of the IVD’s condition.

Stein, D, Assaf, Y, Dar, G, Cohen, H, Slon, V, Medlej, B, Hershkovitz, I, Qualitative and Quantitative Properties of the Human Annulus Fibrosus Using DTI Followed by Fiber Tracking.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14012554.html