Matthew Fenty1, Catherine DeBrosse2, Rachelle Crescenzi2, Dawn Squillante3, Philip M. Maurer3, Dawn M. Elliott4, Ari Borthakur1
1CMROI, Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States; 2Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States; 33B Orthopaedics, Philadelphia, PA, United States; 4Department of Bioengineering, University of Delaware, Wilmington, DE, United States
In a retrospective study, we determined the sensitivity of the T1ρ relaxation time (pre-surgery) and T2 MRI-based Pfirrmann grading in predicting painful discs in patients. ROC analyses determined area-under-curves of 91% and 84% for T1ρ and Pfirrmann grading, respectively, as predictor of which discs were painful (based on discographic measurements) and subsequently underwent fusion surgery. The long-term objective of this study is to evaluate quantitative and non-invasive biomarkers of disc degeneration in order to help identify discs candidates for surgery as well as measure outcomes following therapeutic interventions.