ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate changes over time in the shape and signal intensity of high intensity zone (HIZ) in the lumbar intervertebral discs on magnetic resonance images in patients with low back pain.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The imaging data were collected from 27 patients with low back pain, who underwent lumbar magnetic resonance (MR) imaging examinations that identified HIZ lesions and received follow-up MR examinations at least 1.5 years later over the period from January 2009 to January 2017. The initial and follow-up MR T2WI images of the patients were read by two experienced radiologists to categorize the changes in the shape of the HIZ lesions into enlarged, unchanged, shrunk, and disappeared. The volume and signal/cerebrospinal fluid signal intensity (T2/CSF) ratio of the HIZ were measured on sagittal MR images using ImageJ software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 43 HIZ lesions found in the initial examinations, 22 (51.2%) remained unchanged in the follow-up examinations, 10 (21.3%) were enlarged, 9 (20.9%) shrank, and 2 (23.3%) disappeared. The follow-up examinations revealed 4 new HIZ lesions in the intervertebral discs. The volumes of these lesions did not vary significantly in the follow-up examinations (=0.653), but the T2/CSF ratio was significantly higher in the follow-up than in the initial examinations (=0.043).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>After observation for an average of 3 years and 3 months, most of the HIZ lesions in the lumbar intervertebral discs of the patients with low back pain remained stable in shape, but their signal intensity on MR images increased.</p>
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate MR findings of acute thigh muscle strains in male football athletes.Methods Twenty five thighs of 21 football athletes with acute muscle strains were analyzed retrospectively.All subjects were examined with MR unit.The anatomical location,size,severity,signal features of the acute strained muscles were analyzed by two experienced radiologists based on MR images.Results There were 32 muscles involved totally,including 1 9 hamstring muscles,5 adductor muscles,7 quadriceps femoris,and 1 sartorius muscle.18 muscles were MR grade 1 injuries,14 of grade 2,and these was no grade 3 injuries.Conclusion Thigh muscle injury of football athletes most frequently involved the hamstring muscle,and MR is an effective tool for detecting acute muscle strains of the thigh.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the correlation between vertebral body deformity and degeneration of the adjacent intervertebral discs in patients with old thoracolumbar compression fractures.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy-one patients who had been conservatively treated after single segment thoracolumbar compression fractures between April, 2011 and May, 2014 were enrolled in this study. Both radiographic and magnetic resonance (MR) images of the thoracolumbar segment were obtained. The involved vertebral body deformity was rated on radiography according to the Genant criterion, and the degeneration of the adjacent cephalic and caudal discs was assessed on MR images using the Oner and Pfirrmann classification schemes, respectively. The relationship between vertebral body deformity and adjacent disc changes was assessed using correlation analysis, and the changes in the adjacent cranial and caudal discs was compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The Genant classification of the involved vertebral bodies was moderately correlated with Oner morphological scores (r=0.48, P<0.01), but not with the Pfirrmann signal scores of the adjacent cephalic discs or with the Genant or Pfirrmann scores of the adjacent caudal discs (P>0.05). The Oner classification of the adjacent cephalic discs was higher than that of the adjacent caudal discs (P<0.01), but their Pfirrmann classification did not differ significantly.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The deformity of vertebral body affects the adjacent cephalic discs proportionally but not the adjacent caudal discs.</p>