#2 Flashcards
What is TR (time repition) in MRI pulse sequence?
Time between each RF pulse, varies from 500msec to 4000msec
What is TE (time echo)?
Time each RF to listening for signal generated by patient varies from < 40msec to 100msec>
What determine the type of image created?
TR and TE times
Time Repetition
Time Echo
T1 in MRI (Time 1) main characteristics
- Weighted image with short TR (500msec) and short TE (40msec)
- Water is dark (CSF, edema, synovial fluid - NOT water in fat)
What does the pathology look like on a T1 film?
Usually dark on T1 due to edema (most pathologies have edema with water)
T2 MRI main characteristics:`
Weighted image - long TR (1500-4000msec)
- Long TE (80-100msec)
- Water is BRIGHT
T2 allows what?
System to go back to neutral state
- Listened long enough for echo signal, so now we see water that looks brighter, and can now see edema
what color is bone marrow on T2 MRI?
Gray
What does fat look like on MRI?
It re-aligns quickly and appears as bright white on MRI
- Fatty tumors, subcutaneous fat, yellow marrow
Contrast in MRI (signal intensity) is related to ____ ?
How tightly bound water is to time
Describe the Hydrogen properties in MRI contrast formation?
Hydrogen is more loosely bound in fat than water substance like CSF; re-aligns faster in fat than CSF
Spin-echo flip angle?
90 degrees
Gradient echo flip angle:
< 90 degrees
SE T1: (Fat color)
-
Fat image
- Structures containing fat appear brighter/whiter (bone marrow, subcutaneous fat);
SE T1: (Water containing) -
- Edema, neoplasm, inflammation, CSF, large amounts of Fe) appears DARK
* long TR, short TE
SE T1 is standard or not?
Standard
SE T2 first echo:
Proton density, good anatomical detail, has properties of both T1 and T2
- Not done anymore
SE T2 second echo water image (loosely bound)?
Loosely bound water (neoplasms, edema, inflammation, healthy nucleus puposus, CSF) appear bright/white
What is the appearance/what does it detect of tightly bound or low water content on SE T2 second echo?
Ligaments, menisci, tendons, calcium, sclerosis, cortical bone or large amounts of Fe appear dark/black
Main charac. of SE T2 second echo?
- Classic Image
- Standard
- MRI is the ONLY one that can see water in an IVD
FSE, fast spin echo:
Multiple echoes/TR, faster exam time, good in neuroimaging especially spine myelographic images
- Very sensitive to EDEMA
Gradient Echo:
Fast MRI using short TR and TE with (flip angle)
- >90 degrees
- Provides a T2 image in less time, but does sacrifice some signal
- Terms: GRE, GRASS, FLASH, FISP, MPGR, SPGR
Fat Suppression:
Technique that suppresses signal from fat, making small areas of pathology (often appearing bright because of edema) more evident and increasing the overall sensitivity of the exam, usually accomplished
(STIR)
- VERY SENSITIVE TO WATER
Techniques providing function information:
Kinematic (kMRI) functional joint movement
MRA is used to ____ ?
image VASCULAR flow
Diffusion MRI does what?
Reveals disturbances of fluid restriction as seen in stroke
MR spectroscopy can display what?
Concentration of biochemical metabolites
Functional MRI (fMRI) does what?
Displays changes in oxygen concentration associated with neural activation, and provides high resolution imaging of the brain
What can upright MRI reveal?
Weight bearing (kMRI) can reveal pathologies that may be missed (canal stenosis, transitional motion, & disc lesion)
WHat is the most important clinical indication to use an MRI?
Suspicion of C, T, or L spine disc disease
*** MRI IS THE GOLD STANDARD OF DISC PATHOLOGY*
- IS THERE A MASS?
Suspicion of what would be a good reason to send out for an MRI?
Central canal, foramina, or lateral recess stenosis
SPinal CORD pathology - MYELOMALACIA
What is a congenital disorder that would be of good use for an MRI?
Arnold Chiarimalformation (herniation of cerebellum through foramen magnum) syringomyelia
What would be some good things to evaluate using MRI?
- Bone marrow infiltration
- Primary bone neoplasms (benign and malignant)
- Suspected failed back syndrome - Gd DTPA
What is a red flag, and would suggest getting an MRI?
FAILURE TO IMPROVE with TREATMENT
Persistent bone pain with malignant history
SHould a patient have painful scoliosis?
NO
80% is not painful
What’s the biggest MRI contraindication?
1st trimester pregnancy
What is something in the body that would cause a contraindication of MRI?
Ferromagnetic artifacts
- aneurysm clips, intraocular foreign bodies (welders), permanent eyeliner, subcutaneous metal shards and shrapnel
Cardiac Pacemakers/defibrallators/implanted neurotransmitters (TENS) unit would mark a red flag for what?
MRI
T1 film
T2 film
WHen does bone marrow change on bone pathology?
FIRST
STIR VS FAT SUPRESSION
MRI cervical spine, sagittal T1 and T2
pic of herniated discs
disc herniations can be:
Soft discs, herniation without surrounding osteophytosis, can be acute, subacute or chronic
Herniated disc
Contained central protrusion
What would Cauda Equina Syndrome present as?
- _Saddle Parestesia or anesthesia**_
- _Bowel and Bladder distrubances**_
- Lower extremity motor weakness and sensory deficits
- Reduced or absent lower external reflexes
- Low back pain
- Uni or bi lateral sciatica
_***IMMEDIATE REFERRAL****_
What is this?
Synovial Cyst
What are characteristics of synovial cyst?
Can have them with no symptoms, no way to see on plain film, and complication of facet DJD
What are the main points of an annular tear?
- POSTERIOR anular fibers
- clincially significant
- Pain generator due to nociceptors
- CAN MANAGE chiropractically
Clinical Significance of Modic Changes:
Type 1: Represents marrow edema. Painful! Associated with an acute process. Converts to
Type 2: Represents fatty degneration of subchondral marrow. Associated with a chronic process
Type 3: Correlate with extensive bony sclerosis on plain radiographs
Describe fatty infiltration of spinal musculature:
- Semispinalis cervicis or lumbar multifidus
- Strongly associated with LBP
- Is an indicator for spine stabilization exercises
- Responds favorably to neuromusculoskeletal rehab and therapy exercises
WHat is Tarlov’s Cyst?
- Perineural cyst - fluid filled meningeal dilation of the nerve root sheath
- up to 9% of pop.
- Usually asymptomatic
- 20% do have symptoms –> if it expands
- May need drainage
Levoscoliosis =
Wrong way
Convex Left > 15 degrees may indicate interspinal pathology
What is pictured?
Arnold Chiari
What is a descriptive term for decreased bone density?
Osteopenia
Is, “osteopenia” a precise diagnosis?
NO
When does osteopenia occur?
When bone resporption exceeds bone formation regardless of specific pathogenesis
What are the major causes of diffuse osteopenia:
- Osteoporosis
- Osteomalacia/Rickets
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Neoplasm
What is an osteoprogenitor cell?
Originates from the marrow stem cells, develop into osteoblasts
What is an osteoblast?
Produces osteoid (soft material) 90-95% collagen, remainder is ground substance (mucopolysaccharides); numerous and large in growing skeleton
- Decrease in # and size at maturity
What is an osteocyte?
Arise from osteoblasts that become entrapped in their own osteoid, maintain the integrity of the bone around them
MATURE BONE CELLS
What are inactive cells?
inacive/dormant osteoblasts
What are osteoclasts?
Bone resorptive cells, derived from hematopoetic monocyte lineage
for normal bone density, Osteoblastic activity should =
Osteoclastic activity
what is the process in getting to a mature Osteocyte?
- Marrow stem cell
- Osteoblast - produces osteoid
- Osteoid is mineralized by Calcium Hydroxyapatite
- Osteocyte is formed
bone resorption
Water is responsible for _____ % of wet weight of bone?
20
Cellular components make up a ____ fraction of bone weight?
TINY
What is the remaining organic matrix/osteoid?
- (90% collagen) and 10% mucopolysaccharides account for 30% by dry weight
- The inorganic material accounts for 70% of osseous tissue by dry weight
Bone quality ratio aka
*MATRIX vs. MINERAL RATIO****
Organic matrix/osteoid is _____ , remaining _______ is what?
- 90% collagen
- Remaining 10% is mucopolysaccharide material (ground substance)
Inorganic material exists as what?
Calcium Hydroxyapatite
- It is destributed regularly along the length of collagen fibrils surrounded by ground substance
- Ca10(PO4)6OH2
What does the skeleton do in relation to calcium?
Contains 99% of the body’s calcium and serves as the reservoir for maintenance of serum calcium; normally 10mg/dL ****
70% of plasma calcium is believed to be maintained by?
A continuous exchange of calcium ions between bone and extracellular fluid
What is defined as producing an inward flux of calcium from extracellular fluid?
Hypocalcemia
if 70% of plasma calcium is an exchange between bone and ECF, whats the remaining 30%?
Mediated by the actions of the parathyroid hormone and other hormones
The process of resorption and formation occur ______ ?
Continuosuly in normal bone and are related to the function of osteoclasts and osteoblasts, whose function must remain in balance
Osteoclasts exists where?
In pits on bone surface called resorption bays or Howship’s lacuae
What are the osteoclasts main function?
Secrete acid to breakdown hydroxyapatite, and collagenase to break down osteoid
- May secrete substances to attract and promote function of osteoblasts
What is the key production of osteoblasts?
Produce osteoid/matrix which is then mineralized by calcium hydroxyapatite
- Scurvy can actually impede the osteoblasts ability to produce osteoid/matrix
What is the substance capable of directly or indirectly stimulating osteoclasts or increasing formation of new osteoclasts?
PTH, active metabolites of Vit. D, Prostaglandin E2, Thyroid hormone, Heparin
Is calcitonin inhibiting or excitatory when it comes to osteoclasts?
Inhibitory
What is osteoporosis characterized as?
Qualitatively normal, but quantitatively deficient bone
What is the MOST FREQUENT BONE DISEASE IN HUMANS?
OSTEOPOROSIS
What is associated with decreasing osteoblastic function with age?
Osteoporosis
When is osteoporosis radiographically significant?
when 30-50% bone loss (spine closer to 50)
Where is osteoporosis predominant?
Axial Skeleton
Is osteoporosis bone softening?
NO
What is Osteomalacia defined as?
Pathology, inadequate mineralization of osteoid
Immature cortical and spongy bone (osteomalacia) and interruption of orderly development and mineralization of physis (rickets)
What is related to the deficiency of calcium, Vit D, or phosphorus?
Osteomalacia
Is Osteomalacia a quality or quantity problem?
Quality, its bone SOFTENING
pic of Vit D process in body
What are the deficiencies of osteomalacia related to?
- Dietary
- Liver Disease
- GI disease
- RENAL DISEASE*** (with loss of phosphorus)
- Sunlight def.
Osteoid is a soft material and gains it’s hardness by adding what?
Calcium and minerals
Hyperparathyroidism accelerates what?
Osteoclastic activity
Describe primary HPT:
Increased production of parathormone by glands, usually benign adenoma = HYPERCALCEMIA
Describe Secondary HPT:
Abnormal stimulation of glands by sustained hypocalcemia: Chronic renal disease, GI malsorption,
- serum calcium - low, low normal and phosphorus is elevated
Describe Tertiary HPT:
In long standing HPT, parathyroid function may become autonomous, can be related to ectopic tissue, paraneoplastic syndrome, may have hypercalcemia
- Can be from external stimulus, ext production of parathyroid hormone via tumor
What is the parathormone function (main):
ULTIMATELY INCREASE SERUM CALCIUM
Osteoblastic inhibition would be a characteristic of what?
Parathormone function
If serum calcium drops, what does parathormone do?
Parathyroid hormone increases serum calcium, it is a positive feedback
What are the 3 features in regards to the function of Parathyroid hormone function?
- Renal Conservation of calcium and inhibiton of phosphate resorption
- Renal stimulation of 1-alpha-hydroxylase causing increase formation of 1,25 Vit. D
- Indirect effect on GI absorption of calcium
What is calcitonin secreted by?
The human parafollicular or C cells of the the human thyroid gland
What is calcitonin controlled by?
Serum calcium levels
What does calcitonin inhibit?
Bone calcium resorption by decreasing osteoclastic function and may lead to hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia
- also inhibits GI calcium abosorption
What does calcitonin stimulate?
Osteoblastic activity
In regards to the kidney, what does calcitonin inhibit?
Renal tubular cell reabsorption of calcium
What is used to treat pagets disease?
Calcitonin, inhibits clastic activity
Where is osteoporosis most prevelant?
AXIAL SKELETON:
- Vertebral column
- Pelvis
- Ribs
- Sternum
What is the major cause of osteoporosis?
AGE RELATED CONDITIONS: Senile and postmenopausal states (by far most common and most often seen in clinical practice)
Describe the role of medications in regards to Osteoporosis:
Steroids (many pts; chronic use end up w/bone density issues), heparin
What are some endocrine states that would affect osteoporosis?
HPT, hyperthyroidism, Cushing’s, acromegaly, pregnancy, diabetes mellitus, hypogonadism
What are some deficiency states that could affect osteoporosis?
SCURVY***, malnutrition, calcium deficiency
Major causes of generalized osteoporosis:
- Age related
- medications
- endocrine states
- deficiency states
- alcoholism
- chronic liver disease
- anemic states
- osteogenesis imperfecta
- idiopathic condition
What would be the reason for localized osteoporosis?
Immobilization and disuse (fracture healing)
- Some degree of bone atrophy occurs; sustained Hyperemia in bone (too much blood flow in bone marrow) overstimulates osteoclasts
What is a VERY important reason for localized osteoporosis?
_Complex regional pain syndrome ***_
Sympathetically mediated pain syndrome, RSDS
had FOOSH injury 3-4 months ago
What is a type of osteoporosis that would cause pain?
Transient regional (localized) osteoporosis
- Transient (temporary) osteoporosis of the hip (TOH)
- Commonly seen in men
- Regional Migratory Osteoporosis
what is pictured?
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) /Sympathetic Mediated Pain Syndrome (SMPS)
Describe the key points of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) / Sympathetic Mediated Pain Syndrome (SMPS):
- Typically follows trauma
- VERY PAINFUL (suicidal type of pain)
- Just around joints (r wrist; can also be rheumatoid, lupus, scleroderma, etc)
*** Common in WRIST
Transient Osteoporosis of the hip usually involves?
Healthy middle aged men, rarely women, but almost exclusively during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy or the immediate postpartum period
- Usually SINGLE HIP
Transient Osteoporosis of the hip is characterized by what?
Acute disabling pain in the hip and functional disability without a history of previous trauma
Histological exam of transient osteoporosis of the hip reveals what?
Focal areas of thin and disconnected bone trabeculae covered by osteoid and active osteoblasts, active osteocytes in the lacunae
what is this
TOH
Transient osteoporosis of the hip
- should clear up on its own
What are the key features of regional migratory osteoporosis?
RMO was discovered by Duncan et al
- Occurs in 5-41%
- It may occur in different or same joint in an unpredictable time interval after the onset of the first symptoms
- Can stay in left knee, jump to R knee, or diff joint
- The joint nearest to the diseased one is the next to be involved
?
RMO of the ankle
What is general slowing down of osteoblastic activity?
Osteoporosis
What is the etiology of osteoporosis?
multifactorial
When does the gradual loss of bone occur with osteoporosis?
Beginning in the 5th or 6th decade in men and 4th decade in women
- 40’s and 50’s in men
- 30’s in women
> 50 y/o men lose bone at ______ ?
.4 % a year
> 35 y.o. women lose at _________ ?
.75-1% increasing to 2-3% post menopause
There is a significant loss of ____ bone in women who have osteoporosis?
Cortical
What disease may cause “fish vertebrae”?
Osteoporosis
Pic of osteoporosis byproducts
What type of bone is lost in osteoporosis?
Horizontal trabecular
When does the anterior wedge of osteoporosis normally occur?
Post Traumatic - Typically get with axial load trauma on normal bone. Edge anterior b/c vertebrae posterior is stronger
What is the worst sign when dealing with osteoporosis?
Losing posterior and ant. body height, commonly via Mets and Mult Myeloma
- MOST COMMON PATHOLOGICAL COLLAPSE
What can cause fish vertebrae?
Biconcave (both endplate compression)
- Osteoporosis
- Mult Myeloma
where are common fracture sites of osteoporosis?
what could this be?
Osteoporosis, but could be multiple myeloma or Mets
- Normally would have white cortex, grey medullary cavity, and very gray soft tissue
what is this?
Hemangioma is what?
Benign bone tumor
?
?
Percutaneous Verebroplasty fixes what? (pic)
Due to percutaneous vertebroplasty, ant. wedge fracture possibly
(liquid cement shows up extremely white on X ray)
When does an insufficiency fracture occur?
When the elastic strength of the bones is not sufficient to withstand normal physiologic stress (type of stress fracture)
Simplistic def. of insufficiency fracture?
normal stress on abnormal bone
What is a major cause of an insufficiency fx?
Osteoporosis
Characteristically, what does an insufficiency fracture involve?
Weight-bearing bones of the lower extremity, often bilateral
What are 2 main places of insuf. fx?
Sacrum and Pubic Rami
(MICRO fractures in trabeculae)
Insufficiency fracture
?
Honda sign!
Insufficiency fx. (associated with osteoporosis)
What are the osteoporosis risk factors?
Osteoporosis is not _____
a direct calcium deficiency, but an osteoblastic deficiency
Calcium deficiency =
Osteomalacia
What is the most sensitive meausure of bone mineral density?
DEXA/DXA Scan