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Abstract #0537

Short Time T2 Variability of the Lumbar Intervertebral Disc in Vivo MRI Study at 3 Tesla

David Stelzeneder1, Sabine Goed1, Gtz Hannes Welsch1,2, Clemens Hirschfeld1, Tatjana Paternostro-Sluga3, Karin Pieber3, Klaus Friedrich1, Michael Reisegger1, Tallal Charles Mamisch4, Siegfried Trattnig1

1Department of Radiology, MR Centre, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; 2Department of Trauma Surgery, University of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; 3Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; 4Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Bern, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland


The purpose of our study was to evaluate the short-time variability of T2 relaxation time values in the supine position in different compartments of the lumbar intervertebral disc. We performed a segmental analysis of two serial T2 mapping sequences obtained with a delay of 40 minutes. There was a significant T2 decrease in the anterior nucleus and an increase in the posterior annulus region. The data can be interpreted as a water shift from the anterior to the posterior compartments of the intervertebral disc, what can be a result of supine position with slight hip flexion.