Association between spinal alignment and biochemical composition of lumbar intervertebral discs assessed by quantitative magnetic resonance imaging.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate potential associations between spinopelvic parameters and the biochemical composition of lumbar intervertebral discs using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging in asymptomatic young adults. METHODS: Our study group comprised 93 asymptomatic volunteers aged 20-40 years (49 women and 44 men). Lumbar spine T2-weighted images and T2 relaxometry were acquired on a 1.5T MRI scanner. Spinopelvic parameters including sacral slope, pelvic tilt, pelvic incidence, lumbar lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, thoracolumbar alignment, sagittal vertical axis, spinosacral angle, C2 pelvic angle, and T1S1 and L1S1 length were measured on panoramic spine radiographs. RESULTS: Lumbar lordosis decrease correlates with discrete dehydration of nucleus pulposus at all lumbar levels. Also low values of sacral slope, pelvic tilt, pelvic incidence, thoracic kyphosis and spinosacral angle were associated with decrease of T2 relaxation times on annulus fibrosus. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, spinopelvic parameters presented a discrete association with lumbar disc composition and water content.