Assessment of Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Glycosaminoglycan Content by Gadolinium-Enhanced MRI before and after 21-Days of Head-Down-Tilt Bedrest

作者：Koy Timmo; Zange Jochen; Rittweger Joern; Pohle Froehlich Regina; Hackenbroch Matthias; Eysel Peer; Ganse Bergita^*

来源：PLos One, 2014, 9(11): e112104.

DOI：10.1371/journal.pone.0112104

During spaceflight, it has been shown that intervertebral discs (IVDs) increase in height, causing elongation of the spine up to several centimeters. Astronauts frequently report dull lower back pain that is most likely of discogenic origin and may result from IVD expansion. It is unknown whether disc volume solely increases by water influx, or if the content of glycosaminoglycans also changes in microgravity. Aim of this pilot study was to investigate effects of the spaceflight analog of bedrest on the glycosaminoglycan content of human lumbar IVDs. Five healthy, non-smoking, male human subjects of European descent were immobilized in 6 degrees head-down-tilt bedrest for 21 days. Subjects remained in bed 24 h a day with at least one shoulder on the mattress. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans were taken according to the delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (dGEMRIC) protocol before and after bedrest. The outcome measures were T-1 and Delta T-1. Scans were performed before and after administration of the contrast agent Gd-DOTA, and differences between T-1-values of both scans (Delta T-1) were computed. Delta T-1 is the longitudinal relaxation time in the tissue and inversely related to the glycosaminoglycan-content. For data analysis, IVDs L1/2 to L4/5 were semi-automatically segmented. Zones were defined and analyzed separately. Results show a highly significant decrease in Delta T-1 (p %26lt; 0.001) after bedrest in all IVDs, and in all areas of the IVDs. The Delta T-1-decrease was most prominent in the nucleus pulposus and in L4/5, and was expressed slightly more in the posterior than anterior IVD. Unexpected negative Delta T-1-values were found in Pfirrmann-grade 2-discs after bedrest. Significantly lower T-1 before contrast agent application was found after bedrest compared to before bedrest. According to the dGEMRIC-literature, the decrease in Delta T-1 may be interpreted as an increase in glycosaminoglycans in healthy IVDs during bedrest. This interpretation seems contradictory to previous findings in IVD unloading.

• 出版日期2014-11-7