1Radiology
and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San
Francisco, CA, United States; 2Diagnostic and Interventional
Radiology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Studies have linked low pH and loss of glycoaminoglycan in the intervertebral disc of patients with discogenic back pain. Therefore MRI methods to measure pH in intervertebral discs would be valuable in research and clinical settings. The present study performed on phantoms and porcine discs investigates if gagCEST shows pH dependence and if this effect could be used to detect pH changes in the discs. Further, the DIACEST agent Iopromide is injected into the disc specimens to investigate if CEST MRI can be used to detect intervertebral disc pH using this molecule.