椎间盘退变引起的下腰痛已然成为重大的卫生问题之一。在椎间盘退变过程中，氧化应激产生的ROS起着举足轻重的作用，导致椎间盘内GAG、胶原及水含量下降，pH值下降，纤维环破裂等微环境微结构改变。而退变椎间盘中ROS含量及微结构微环境改变的活体定量测量，已成为椎间盘退变的精准诊断及新疗法监测中亟待解决的“瓶颈”问题。然而，目前尚缺乏在体定量无创检测及评估椎间盘ROS含量及微环境的方法。本课题研发的3D multi-parameters CEST可解决这一关键问题，可同时完成椎间盘自由水、结合水及胶原、ROS、GAG含量及pH水平的定量测定。而DKI可定量显示椎间盘微结构改变。故此，本课题拟利用3D multi-parameters CEST及DKI成像，定量测定椎间盘退变中，ROS含量与微环境微结构的改变以及两者之间的关系，期待将来推广至临床，推动下腰痛的个体化精准诊。

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) and low back pain becomes one of the biggest problems for public health systems. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress are essential mediators of the occurrence and progression of IDD.The 3D multi-parameters CEST developed by the project team is a new in vivo MR imaging method which can detect and evaluate the microenvironment of the intervertebral disc quantitatively and non-invasively, including the contents of the free water, the collagen-bound water and the collagen, ROS and GAG content and pH level. The changes of the microstructure in degenerative intervertebral discs can be identified by DKI. The 3D multi-parameters CEST and the DKI sequences will be combined and applied in ex vivo functional anatomy unit of intervertebral disc with different pH levels/ ROS concentrations and an in vivo rat intervertebral disc degeneration model. The content of ROS in the degenerative intervertebral discs by CEST will be correlated with the content of ROS in the dihydroethidium (DHE) stain of the discs, while the content of GAG in the degenerative intervertebral discs will be correlated with the content of GAG and collagen in the alcian blue stain of the discs. And the changes of the microstructure in degenerative intervertebral discs by DKI will be correlated with the structural changes in the H&E stain. The results will help assess the diagnostic value of these sequences, show the process of the destruction and reconstruction of the degenerative discs, and provide the quantification of the treatment effects of the innovative therapies which could repair and regenerate discs. On the other hand, the 3D multi-parameters CEST and the DKI could also be used to help diagnosis the discogenic pain in future. The application could help provide a guide for the clinical diagnosis/treatment plan and prognostic evaluation of the low back pain.