MRI of the spine
Short description
This project aims to develop new improved diagnostic methods for unspecific back pain by implementing new tissue specific MR methods and to find new biomarkers for prediction of therapy response. By using a unique equipment that adds an axial loading to the spine during an MRI examination it is possible to induce symptoms among the patients with back pain. This enables the study of tissue characteristics (and morphology) with and without loading and pain. By using the loading device while imaging with resting-state fMRI it is also possible to study the sensation of pain and eventually radiologically characterize and correlate the pain sensation to what is happening in the spine with and without loading.
How the brain is affected by pain among patients with back pain has not been thoroughly studied, neither has the relationship between functional MRI of the spine during loading and MRI been studied, but this is expected to give unique information about the causation of back pain.
Group members:
- Kerstin Lagerstrand, Assoc. Prof.
- Christian Waldenberg, PhD student
- Frida Johansson, PhD stude