Magnetic resonance elastography of intervertebral disc — A new biomarker for disc degeneration

Intervertebral disc degeneration is a cell-mediated process that results in the disruption of its function. These changes are difficult to overturn; consequently, early diagnosis is key for the success of any treatment. Clinically, disc degeneration is diagnosed by analyzing morphological changes characteristic of moderate to advanced stages of degeneration. Therefore, there is a need of a reliable biomarker to characterize the compositional and structural integrity of the disc in early stages of degeneration. In this study, shear modulus is proposed as a new biomarker for disc degeneration and a non-invasive method to measure this mechanical property is presented.