The purpose of this study is to compare the functional anisotropy with its values of nuclear pulposus and AF or annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral discs for healthy patients in order to develop predictive disk health. The study was done by examining 59 healthy people and 59 patients with back pain using tea to relaxometry and imaging for diffusion tensor. Both the groups were divided into three subgroups based on the age bars measuring less than 30 years, 30 to 50 years, and greater than 50 years. The researchers have taken the FA values and t2 values for the intervertebral disc of every person.

Around 590 intervertebral discs have been categorized from 118 participants. Among them, 566 discs were analyzed with t2 relaxometry and DTI. The lowest age group has higher T2 values in respect to the others. The study concludes that the AF/NP ratio and values of T2 are the potential microstructure biomarkers of degenerating and normal discs that can help to detect the early degeneration with the help of predictive disc. For more detailed information related to lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration, more studies need to be done with more patients and healthy people.

Ref: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30966725/

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