Abstract：Objective: To study the value of diffusion-weighted imaging ADC values for quantitative evaluation of proteoglycan in lumbar disc. Materials and Methods: The ADC value of lumbar disc in patients with lumbar disc herniation was measured with diffusion-weighted imaging before operation. The content of proteoglycan in the surgical removal nucleus pulposus was assessed. Degenerative disc were categorized with Minna tertti’s method. The difference of proteoglycan and average ADC value for various degenerative lumbar discs were assessed. The correlation of the content of proteoglycan with ADC in disc degeneration was analyzed. Results: Fifteen surgical removal specimen of lumbar disc were obtained in 13 patients with lumbar disc herniation. There are 7 grade Ⅱ and 8 grade Ⅲ degenerative lumbar disc. The correlation coefficient(r) between ADC value and proteoglycan in grade Ⅱ lumbar intervertebral disc was 0.826, P<0.05. The correlation coefficient r between ADC and proteoglycan in grade Ⅲ lumbar intervertebral disc was 0.210, P>0.05. Conclusions: ADC values can be used to evaluate the content of polysaccharides and collagen protein in lumbar disc indirectly.
2013, Vol. 24 
