Role of T1 weighted and diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging application in the diagnosis of osteoporosis in lumbar spine in postmenopausal women

Abstract EN

Background: Postmenopausal Osteoporosis is one of the most common causes of primary osteoporosis.

For two decades, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has been applied to the evaluation of intracranial diseases, but technical advancement make it possible to apply DWI measurements to extra cranial sites, including vertebral column.

Objective: Using diffusion-weighted MR imaging technology to determine the DWI and ADC values of lumbar vertebral body in postmenopausal women in correlation with the DEXA t-scores.

Patients and Methods: A cross sectional analytical studywas conducted at Al-Yarmouk Teaching hospital in Baghdad city.

A total of 80 postmenopausal women, was recruited from subjects who underwent DEXA of the spine and categorized into three groups according to their t-score: Normal BMD, Osteopenia, and Osteoporosis.

Then MRI study done for all of them including: T1, T2, DWI, and ADC value measurement.

Results: The values of ADC at L3 vertebra were (0.46 ± 0.098) × 10-3 mm2/s, (0.42 ± 0.084) × 10-3 mm2/s, and (0.39 ± 0.052) × 10-3 mm2/s for the three groups: the normal, osteopenic, osteoporotic respectively.

The values of the diffusion signal intensity values at L3 vertebra were 134.5 ± 5.7 mm2/s, 112.7 + 3.4 mm2/s, 101.3 + 4.4 mm2/s respectively.

There was a significant difference among the three groups in both diffusion and ADC measurement.

Conclusion: Both diffusion and ADC values are significantly lower in subjects with postmenopausal osteoporosis.

There is a significant positive relationship between T score that was determined by DEXA, and the ADC value.