2004 Young Investigator Award Winner: Vertebral Endplate Marrow Contact Channel Occlusions and Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

• DOI: 10.1097/01.brs.0000150833.93248.09
• Publication Date: 2005-01-11T09:01:09Z
• Authors: Lorin M. Benneker; Paul F. Heini; Mauro Alini; Suzanne E. Anderson; Keita Ito
• Keywords: Intervertebral Disc; Degeneration (medical); Intervertebral disk; Modic changes

In Brief Study Design. Intervertebral disc degeneration was evaluated by morphologic appearance, magnetic resonance imaging, and biochemical matrix composition. Caliber distribution of openings the adjacent vertebral osseous endplates were measured. Objectives. Correlation between occlusion endplate intervertebral quantified. Summary Background Data. Calcifications with disease age have suggested insufficient nutrition as a mechanism for degeneration. It has been proposed that openings, which contain vascular sources disc, may limit transport nutrients, leading to Methods. Fresh images from 39 human lumbar discs scored. Sectioned morphologically graded. Samples nuclear anular regions proteoglycan collagen contents. Backlight microscopic 4 obtained, caliber each Analysis variance regression models used assess correlation Results. The decrease in opening density significantly correlated grade, best 20 50 ìm equivalent diameter region. Although also indirectly age, it not strong grade. Opening content all regions. However, other parameters well T2 intensity score showed only weak or no density. Conclusions. A high indirect (particularly size capillary buds) morphologicdegeneration grade support hypothesis these deprive cells maintenance extracellular this study calcification assessed biochemically investigated. Our results through limits nutrient