Correlations between radiographic, magnetic resonance and histological examinations on the degeneration of human lumbar intervertebral discs

Authors

  • Delio Eulalio Martins Universidade Federal de São Paulo
  • Valdeci Manoel de Oliveira Universidade Federal de São Paulo
  • Maria Teresa de Seixas Alves Universidade Federal de São Paulo
  • Marcelo Wajchenberg Universidade Federal de São Paulo
  • Élcio Landim Universidade Federal de São Paulo
  • João Carlos Belloti Universidade Federal de São Paulo
  • Eduardo Barros Puertas Universidade Federal de São Paulo
  • Akira Ishida Universidade Federal de São Paulo

Keywords:

Intervertebral disk, Spine, Magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Radiography, Nerve endings, Comparative study [Publication type]

Abstract

Context and ObjeCtive: There is controversy regarding which imaging method is best for identifying early degenerative alterations in intervertebral discs. No correlations between such methods and histological finds are presented in the literature. The aim of this study was to correlate the thickness of intervertebral discs measured on simple radiographs with the degree of degeneration seen on magnetic resonance images and the histological findings relating to nerve ends inside the discs. design and setting: Cross-sectional correlation study on the lumbar spines of human cadavers, at Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: Ten lumbar spinal columns were extracted from human cadavers and subjected to magnetic resonance imaging and simple radiography. They were classified according to the degree of disc degeneration seen on magnetic resonance, and the thickness of the discs was measured on radiographs. The intervertebral discs were then extracted, embedded in paraffin and analyzed immunohistochemically with protein S100, and the nerve fibers were counted and classified. Results: No correlation was observed between the thickness of the intervertebral discs and the degree of degeneration seen on magnetic resonance images. Only the uppermost lumbar discs (L1/L2 and L2/L3) presented a correlation between their thickness and type I and IV nerve endings. Conclusion: Reduced disc thickness is unrelated to increased presence of nerve ends in intervertebral discs, or to the degree of disc degeneration.

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Author Biographies

Delio Eulalio Martins, Universidade Federal de São Paulo

MD. Attending physician in the Spine Group, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, Brazil.

Valdeci Manoel de Oliveira, Universidade Federal de São Paulo

MD, PhD. Adjunct professor of Anatomy, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas e da Saúde de Juiz de Fora (FCMS/JF), and deputy professor of Orthopedics and Traumatology, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Maria Teresa de Seixas Alves, Universidade Federal de São Paulo

MD, PhD. Adjunct professor and head of General Pathological Anatomy, Forensics and Bioethics, Department of Pathology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, Brazil.

Marcelo Wajchenberg, Universidade Federal de São Paulo

MD, MSc. Attending physician in the Spine Group, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, Brazil.

Élcio Landim, Universidade Federal de São Paulo

MD, PhD. Assistant professor, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, and head of Scoliosis Group, Associação de Assistência à Criança Deficiente (AACD) de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

João Carlos Belloti, Universidade Federal de São Paulo

MD, PhD. Doctor of Science, associate professor, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Eduardo Barros Puertas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo

MD, PhD. Associate professor and head of Traumatology, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, Brazil.

Akira Ishida, Universidade Federal de São Paulo

MD, PhD. Full professor, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, Brazil.

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Published

2010-03-03

How to Cite

1.
Martins DE, Oliveira VM de, Alves MT de S, Wajchenberg M, Landim Élcio, Belloti JC, Puertas EB, Ishida A. Correlations between radiographic, magnetic resonance and histological examinations on the degeneration of human lumbar intervertebral discs. Sao Paulo Med J [Internet]. 2010 Mar. 3 [cited 2025 Mar. 16];128(2):63-8. Available from: https://periodicosapm.emnuvens.com.br/spmj/article/view/1731

Issue

Vol. 128 No. 2 (2010)

Section

Original Article

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