AU2012244378B2 - Systems and methods using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to evaluate pain and degenerative properties of tissue - Google Patents

Abstract

A medical diagnostic system for providing diagnostic information that is indicative of a degree of a chemical property that is correlative with discogenic pain in a first region of tissue of an intervertebral disc associated with chronic, debilitating intervertebral joint pain experienced along a spine of a patient, comprising: a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy system that is configured to generate NMR spectroscopic data related to an NMR spectrum of the first region of tissue, and to provide NMR spectroscopic data related to the spectrum in a form that is processable; a computer readable software program in computer readable media form and that is configured to process the NMR spectroscopic data related to the NMR spectrum and to provide the diagnostic information based upon the processed NMR spectroscopic data; a processor that is configured to run the program; and wherein the diagnostic information provided by the processor running the program is based at least in part upon measuring an n-Acetyl-related resonance region of the NMR spectrum associated with chondroitan sulfate or a metabolite or degradation product thereof and a lactate-related resonance region of the NMR spectrum. 10/10+ -j 0i vi

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS USING NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE (NMR) SPECTROSCOPY TO EVALUATE PAIN AND DEGENERATIVE PROPERTIES OF TISSUE 5 CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application serial number 60/648,241, filed on January 28, 2005, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and from U.S. provisional application serial number 60/731,110, filed on November 15, 2005, incorporated herein by reference in 10 its entirety. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] This invention was made with Government support under Grant Nos. 15 R01-AG17762 and R21-AR51048 awarded by National Institutes of Health. The Government has certain rights in this invention. INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 20 [0003] Not Applicable NOTICE OF MATERIAL SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT PROTECTION [0004] A portion of the material in this patent document is subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and of other 25 countries. The owner of the copyright rights has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the United States Patent and Trademark Office publicly available file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. The copyright owner does not hereby waive any of its rights to have this patent 30 document maintained in secrecy, including without limitation its rights pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 1.14. -1- BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0005] This invention pertains generally to imaging of tissues associated with skeletal joints, and more particularly to identifying and/or 5 characterizing medical conditions associated with skeletal joints, pain, or both. Still more specifically, it relates to using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to identify, localize, and/or characterize chemical, molecular, structural, or other signatures related to medical conditions in tissues, such as degradation or pain associated with skeletal joints (for example spine). 10 2. Description of Related Art [0005a} Mere reference to background art herein should not be construed as an admission that such art constitutes common general knowledge in relation to the invention. [0006] Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a leading cause of 15 lumbar spine related lower back pain, a common medical problem that affects 60 to 80% of aging Americans. The intervertebral disc is a flexible fibrocartilaginous structure that supports forces and facilitates spinal movement. Healthy discs consist of three specific tissue components: 1) the annulus fibrosus, a collagenous region tightly packed circumferentially around 20 the periphery of the disc which allows for pliability; 2) the nucleus pulposus, a hydrated, proteoglycan gel located at the center of the disc, which when compressed expands radially and braces the annulus fibrosus to maintain stiffness and prevents the annulus from buckling under compression; and 3) a cartilaginous end-plate that separates the nucleus from the adjacent vertebral 25 bone. [0007] Disc degeneration is characterized by a complex series of physical and chemical degradative processes. The extent or severity of IVDD is most commonly described clinically using the Thompson Grading Scale, where following a set of parameters, a x-ray radiographic inspection of the 30 disc is conducted and the gross morphology is used to determine the extent of degeneration. One research group has concluded that changes to the mechanical properties of the intervertebral disc suggest a shift from a "fluid like" behavior to a more "solid like" behavior with degeneration. Fixed charge density (FCD) and the biochemical environment of the surrounding water have -2also been shown to greatly influence degeneration; as highly charged proteoglycans attract water and cause the tissue to swell, disc pressurization and spinal load support are directly affected. Differences in the Thompson Grade are reflected by changes in the concentrations of constituents such as 5 collagen and proteoglycans in both the annulus and nucleus. It has been proposed that biochemical degradation, upregulation of genes associated with collagen matrix degradation, and the cumulative effect of mechanical loading, all stimulate the degenerative disc process. [0008] Identification and characterization of disc degeneration thus 10 involves a wide array of technological developments and efforts over many years. Yet, an adequate, repeatable, non-invasive system and method to characterize factors related to pain, pain generation, or disc degeneration has yet to be provided as a useful medical tool. [0009] It is also well appreciated in current medical practice that pain is 15 a remarkably difficult phenomenon to diagnose and localize. This is in particular the case with respect to skeletal joint pain, and in particular back pain. Whereas certain targeted pain relief therapies may be made available, such as directed energy sources to locally ablate painful nociceptive nerves, the indentification and localization of where to treat is a critical pacing item 20 that often falls well short of providing the requisite specificity. As a result, the ability to successfully target such therapies in overall pain management is extremely challenging at best. [0010] Degenerative disc disease, while a predominant cause of debilitating back pain, is however only one example of medical conditions in 25 dire need for better tools and methods to characterize and localize the condition in order to appropriately direct therapies. Chronic back pain, for example, may result from several underlying root causes. These causes include, for example, vertebral compression fractures, degenerative disc disease, and disc herniation. In addition, other joint pain, such as of the spine 30 or other skeletal joints (e.g. knuckles, ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, wrists, elbows) may also be the result of many different underlying causes (or combinations of them), and may also be very difficult to localize sufficiently to direct localized therapies. Pain associated with any or all of these joints may be located at the connective or cushioning tissue of the joint itself (e.g. the -3disc for spinal joints), or within the bone, or at transitional areas (e.g. the end plates of vertebral bodies bordering discs). [0011] A substantial need exists for improved non-invasive tools and methods for identifying and characterizing the degradation of tissues in the 5 body. This is in particular the case with respect to skeletal joints, in particular intervertebral joints of the spine, and further in particular in and around the intervertebral discs themselves. [0012] A substantial need also exists for improved non-invasive tools and methods for identifying, characterizing, and/or localizing pain within the 10 body. This is also in particular the case with respect to skeletal joints, in particular intervertebral joints of the spine, and further in particular in and around the intervertebral discs themselves. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0013] According to one aspect of the present invention there is 15 provided a medical diagnostic system configured to provide diagnostic information that is indicative of a property of a first region of tissue based upon a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum of the first region, comprising: an NMR spectroscopy system that is configured to generate nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic data related to an NMR spectrum 20 from the first region and to provide the NMR spectroscopic data related to the NMR spectrum in a form that is processable; a processor that is configured to process, based on a set of encoded program instructions executable on the processor, the NMR spectroscopic data provided by the NMR spectroscopy system so as to provide the 25 diagnostic information based at least in part upon (a) an n-Acetyl-related resonance region of the NMR spectrum associated with chondroitan sulfate or a metabolite or degradation product thereof, and (b) a lactate-related resonance region of the NMR spectrum; wherein the property comprises a chemical environment of the first 30 region of tissue; and wherein the diagnostic information is correlative to pain in the first region. -4- [0014] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a medical diagnostic system configured to provide diagnostic information that is indicative of a property of a first region of tissue removed from a patient, comprising: 5 a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy system that is configured to generate NMR spectroscopic data related to an NMR spectrum of the first region and to provide the NMR spectroscopic data related to the NMR spectrum in a form that is processable to provide the diagnostic information; 10 wherein the NMR spectroscopy system comprises a proton high resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) spectroscopy system that is configured to produce the NMR spectroscopic data; a processor that is configured to process, based on a set of encoded program instructions executable on the processor, the NMR spectroscopic 15 data provided by the NMR spectroscopy system so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon an n-Acetyl-related resonance region of the NMR spectrum and a lactate-related resonance region of the NMR spectrum; wherein the property comprises a chemical environment of the first 20 region of tissue; and wherein the diagnostic information is correlative to pain. [0015] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a medical diagnostic system configured to provide diagnostic information that is 25 indicative of a property of a first region of tissue, comprising: a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy system that is configured to generate NMR spectroscopic data related to an NMR spectrum of the first region in a form that is processable; and a processor that is configured to process, based on a set of encoded 30 program instructions executable on the processor, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon a portion of the NMR spectroscopic data related to a lactate-related factor and a proteoglycan-related factor in the first region; -5wherein the property comprises a chemical environment of the first region of tissue; and wherein the diagnostic information is correlative to pain in the first region. 5 [0016] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for diagnosing pain, comprising: providing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic data associated with an NMR spectrum acquired by an NMR spectroscopy system 10 from a region of tissue in a form that is processable; processing the NMR spectroscopic data using a processor, based on a set of encoded program instructions executable on the processor, in a manner that provides diagnostic information based upon at least one measured parameter of at least one chemical region of the NMR spectrum associated 15 with at least one pain factor in the region; and wherein the diagnostic information is correlative to pain in the region. [0017] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for diagnosing pain, comprising: 20 analyzing at least the following chemical resonances from a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum generated and acquired via an NMR spectroscopy system from a first region of tissue: a lactate-related resonance and a proteoglycan-related resonance; producing a first value for a parameter associated with the analysis that 25 is correlative to pain in the first region; and wherein the analyzing and the producing are performed by executing a set of encoded program instructions on a processor. [0018] Each aspect, mode, embodiment, variation, or feature herein described 30 is considered independently beneficial without requiring combination with the others. However, such further combinations and sub-combinations thereof are also considered yet further beneficial independent aspects invention. -6- [0019] Further aspects of the invention will be brought out in the following portions of the specification, including without limitation as presented in the claims, and wherein the detailed description is for the purpose of describing exemplary and preferred embodiments of the invention without necessarily 5 placing limitations thereon, though such preferred embodiments may be described as providing particularly valuable benefits and uses. [0020] - [0062] These paragraphs have been intentionally left blank. 10 -7- [This page has been intentionally left blank] -8- [This page has been intentionally left blank] -9- [This page has been intentionally left blank] -10- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) [0063] The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings which are for illustrative purposes only: 5 [0064] FIGS. 1X, 1Y, 1Z show a representative 1-D HR-MAS spectra acquired a Thompson Grade 1 disc (FIG. 1X) from the annulus fibrosus region (spectra at FIG 1Y) and the nucleus pulposus region (spectra located at FIG. 1Z). [0065] FIGS. 2X, 2Y, 2Z show representative 1-D HR-MAS spectra acquired for a Thompson Grade 3 disc (FIG. 2X) from the annulus fibrosus region (FIG. 10 2Y) and the nucleus pulposus region (FIG. 2Z). Resolvable peaks include: A:isoleucine, leucine, valine; B:lactate, isoleucine; C:alanine; D:isoleucine, leucine; E:lysine, leucine; F:N-Acetyl resonance of chonroitin sulfate; G:glutamine; H:glutamate, proline; I:glutamine, hydroxyproline; J:lysine; K:choline; L:phosphocholine; M:hydroxyproline; N:glycine; O:C-H resonances 15 of chondroitin sulfate; P:ethanoloamine; the bracketed region indicates the C H resonances of chondroitin sulfate. [0066] FIGS. 3X, 3Y, 3Z show representative 1-D HR-MAS spectra acquired for a Thompson Grade 5 disc (FIG. 3X) from the annulus fibrosus region (FIG. 3Y) and the nucleus pulposus region (FIG. 3Z). Resolvable peaks include: 20 A:isoleucine, leucine, valine; B:lactate, isoleucine; C:alanine; D:isoleucine, leucine; E:Iysine, leucine; F:N-Acetyl resonance of chonroitin sulfate, Proline, glutamate; G:glutamine; H:glutamate, proline; I:glutamine, hydroxyproline; J:lysine; K:choline; L:phosphocholine; M:hydroxyproline; N:glycine; O:C-H resonances of chondroitin sulfate; P:ethanoloamine. 25 [0067] FIGS. 4A-4D show, as described in Table 1, the graphical representation of the distribution of integrated N-Acetyl/Cho (FIG. 4A) and Cho/Carb (FIG. 4B) of the annulus fibrosus as well as N-Acetyl/Cho (FIG. 4C) and Cho/Carb (FIG. 4D) of the nucleus pulposus with respect to Thompson Grade. Cho/Carb shows the largest statistical significance. 30 [0068] FIG. 5A shows a rotor synchronized adiabatic TOCSY spectrum of healthy disc material, with an 80 ms mixing time. The horizontal axis is the sum of projections and the vertical axis is a high-resolution 1-D spectrum. The -11three-letter amino acid code was used to designate amino acid crosspeaks. [0069] FIG. 5B shows a rotor synchronized adiabatic TOCSY spectrum of degenerate disc, with an 80 ms mixing time. In the degenerate spectrum there is an increase in signal in the amino acids as well as choline containing 5 compounds, which are not present in the healthy spectrum. [0070] FIG. 6A shows a graphical representation of the average spin-lattice relaxation times of the following compounds: 0.9 ppm: Isoleucine, Leucine, and Valine, 1.32 ppm: Lactate, 1.49 ppm: Alanine, 2.04 ppm: N-Acetyl moiety of Chondroitin sulfate, 3.21 ppm: Choline containing compounds, 3.67 ppm: 10 C-H of the carbohydrate residue associated with the Chondroitin sulfate polymer. [0071] FIG. 6B shows a graphical representation of the average spin-spin relaxation times of the previously mentioned compounds. (*) Denotes peaks with very large standard deviations due to low signal intensity. 15 [0072] FIGS. 7A, 7B show exemplary spectra taken from an experiment performed on certain intervertebral discs using NMR spectroscopy. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0073] Referring more specifically to the drawings, for illustrative purposes the present invention is embodied in the apparatus generally shown in FIG. 1X 20 through FIG. 6B and Table 1, and as further developed according to certain particular modes as reflected in FIGS. 7A-B and Table 2. It will be appreciated that the apparatus may vary as to configuration and as to details of the parts, and that the method may vary as to the specific steps and sequence, without departing from the basic concepts as disclosed herein. 25 [0074] The ability to characterize disc degeneration in regard to particular material or chemical constituents using NMR spectroscopy is herein disclosed. Non-invasive correlations between NMR spectra indicia and Thompson grade are made, yielding tremendous benefit to various uses in medicine and research. The present invention is highly beneficial with respect 30 to providing a non-invasive ability to identify and characterize markers associated with the particular state or locality of disc degeneration, and in further particular relation to localization of pain or pain generating factors. -12- [0075] Various aspects, modes, embodiments, variations, and features of the present invention will be made clear by reference to one or more experimental studies performed, and accompanying discussion, as provided by way of one or more examples immediately below. 5 Example 1 [0076] 1. Overview [0077] The goal of this study was to determine the ability of high-resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) NMR spectroscopy to distinguish different stages of intervertebral disc degeneration. 17 discs were removed from 10 human cadavers and analyzed using one- and two-dimensional (TOCSY) 1 H HR-MAS spectroscopy, and T 1 and T 2 relaxation time measurements to determine the chemical composition and changes in chemical environment of discs with increasing levels of degeneration (Thompson grade). Significant findings include that spectra were very similar for samples taken from annular 15 and nuclear regions of discs and that visually apparent changes were observed in the spectra of the annular and nuclear samples from discs with increasing Thompson grade. Area ratios of the N-Acetyl to choline regions, and choline to carbohydrate regions of the spectra allowed for discrimination between discs of increasing Thompson grade with minimal overlap of 20 individual ratios. Changes in T 1 and T 2 relaxation times of the chemical constituents of disc spectra seemed to reflect both changes in dehydration of the disc and the degree of breakdown of the proteoglycan and collagen matrices with increasing Thompson grade. The results of this study support the using of in vivo spectroscopy for detecting chemical changes associated 25 with disc degeneration. [0078] Several in vivo MRI studies have been performed in an attempt to better characterize IVDD. T 1 and T2 weighted MRI has been used to analyze the structure of intervertebral discs. A decrease in T 2 -weighted signal intensity with increased lumbar disc degeneration has been alleged. T 1 30 values of water in degraded cartilage decrease significantly in samples with degeneration. Changes have been allegedly observed in T 2 relaxation times of water with degeneration of articular cartilage as well. Diffusion weighted -13imaging has also been used to study disc and cartilage, showing a decrease in water content as a correlate to a degenerative state. In MRI of the cervical spine, as age increases, dehydration occurs more evenly across all discs. One research group speculates that this is due to a more uniform 5 degeneration than that due to injury or recurrent stress. These MR imaging findings increase the accuracy of a gross morphological grading system, but degenerative states could be more effectively and quantitatively measured using a method based on measurement of the chemical constituents detectable through in vivo spectroscopy. 10 [0079] There is currently a great need for non-invasive techniques to better characterize the metabolic composition of intact disc tissue in vivo. Conventional methods for determining chemical composition require the extraction of proteins through biochemical means, which in turn destroy the tissue and prevent further study (e.g., biological assays or mechanical tests). 15 HR-MAS NMR spectroscopy is a non-destructive technique that has been successfully used to characterize the composition of various intact biological tissues. Cartilage degeneration has been modeled using collagenases which degrade bovine nasal cartilage, and the degradation products have been studied using high-resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) NMR 20 spectroscopy. This allowed the amino acid products of the collagen triple helix to be compared to the natural degradation of bovine tissue and provided a model of human tissue degradation. However, the differing levels of biochemical and mechanical degradation associated with varying degrees of intermediary degradation are still characterized using a single Thompson 25 Grade, which underscores the need for a more descriptive grading scale than the current method. [0080] The purpose of this study was to demonstrate use of HR-MAS spectroscopy to assess the chemical changes associated with intervertebral disc degeneration. Suitable modifications and adaptations of these HR-MAS 30 tools and methods may thus be made in order to measure and correlate similar metabolic changes when performing in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy for characterizing degree of disc degeneration. -14- [0081] HR-MAS spectroscopy was applied to intervertebral discs spanning a range of Thompson grades in order to identify the NMR observable chemicals and to determine the difference in the ratios of these chemicals between discs at different stages of degeneration. Relaxation time measurements were also 5 performed to characterize changes in the environment of chemical disc constituents with disc degeneration and their molecular degrees of freedom. [0082] 2. Materials and Methods [0083] A. Tissue Acquisition [0084] This study was approved by our Institutional Review Board. Lumbar 10 spines were surgically removed from n = 17 human cadavers (range: 22 to 85 years) and frozen at -80*C. The harvested spines were then separated with an autopsy saw and scalpel. The surrounding bone of the intervertebral body was removed and separated from the intervertebral disc. 3mm biopsy punches were taken in the annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus regions of 15 the removed discs. These punches were taken in close proximity to one another and were cylindrically symmetrical. The average mass was 15.2 ± 3.4 mg. Three side-by-side samples, from a given location, were also used to test for spectral reproducibility. The Thompson Grading was performed in consensus readings with adherence to the Thompson Grading scale. 20 Altogether, 8 Thompson grade 1, 6 Thompson grade 3 and 6 Thompson grade 5 samples were studied. [0085] B. HR-MAS Data Acquisition [0086] HR-MAS data were acquired at 1.0 ± 0.5 "C and a 2,250 Hz spin rate using a Varian INOVA spectrometer operating at 11.75 T (500 MHz for 'H) 25 and equipped with a 4 mm gHX nanoprobe. For one-dimensional spectra, 40,000 complex points were acquired over a 20,000 Hz (40 ppm) spectral width, with a 90* pulse width, 2s HOD presaturaturation period, 32 transients, 8srepetition time (>5 times the longest T 1 relaxation time), 2s acquisition time (>5 times the longest T 2 relaxation time), and a 3:36 min total acquisition time. 30 Samples were analyzed using custom designed 18 41 zirconium rotors, containing an ellipsoid shaped sample chamber and an airtight screw top plug to prevent leakage. For each sample, 3.0i of deuterium oxide containing -15- 0.75 wt% 3-(trimethylsilyl)propionic- 2 ,2,3,3-d 4 acid (D 2 0+TSP, Sigma-Aldrich) were pipetted into the bottom of the rotor, after which the tissue samples were weighed and then added. [0087] Longitudinal (Ti) relaxation time measurements were acquired using an 5 inversion recovery pulse sequence with variable delay times from 0.01 to 2.00 s. Transverse (T 2 ) relaxation time measurements were acquired using a rotor synchronized (i.e., -r delay = nx(spin rate)-, where n is an even number) Carr Purcell-Meiboom-Gill pulse sequence with echo times ranging from 10 to 128 ms. For two dimensional TOCSY spectra, 4096 complex points were acquired 10 over a 20,000 Hz spectral width in the direct dimension (F 2 ), while 256 complex points were acquired over a 6,500 Hz spectral width in the indirect dimension (F 1 ). TOCSY spectra were acquired with a 2s HOD presaturation/relaxation delay, 0.2s acquisition time, 32 steady state pulses (1st increment only), 16 transients/increment, mixing times ranging from 10 to 15 80 ms, phase sensitive using States-Habercorn, for a total experiment time of approximately 5 hrs, 12 min. To minimize the effects of Bo and B 1 inhomogeneities, rotor-synchronized constant adiabaticity WURST-8 adiabatic pulses (33) were used for isotropic mixing, and were generated using the "Pandora's Box" pulse shape generator (Pbox, Varian) with a B1 field of 6,500 20 Hz and duration of 444 ms (1/spin rate). One-dimensional spectra were acquired before and after each two-dimensional experiment to assess metabolic degradation.

T

1 and T 2 relaxation time measurements were taken from the nucleus (n=9) and the annulus (n=12) of healthy and degenerate discs. 25 [0088] C. Data Processing [0089] Data were processed online using Varian VNMR 6.1C software (Varian, Inc., Palo Alto), or offline using ACD/Labs 1D and 2D NMR processing software, version 7.0 (Advanced Chemistry Development, Inc. Toronto). One dimensional FIDs were apodized with an exponential function, with a line 30 broadening factor equal to the inverse of the acquisition time, Fourier transformed, phase corrected, and referenced to TSP at 0.0 ppm. Relaxation -16times were calculated using exponential least squares regression analysis. Relaxation times were only used if the list (least) squares fit had a standard error of less than 10%. TOCSY data were processed using 3 x N linear predictions in F 1 , zero filled to 1024 complex points (F 1 only), and apodized 5 using Gaussian weighting in both dimensions. [0090] Cross peaks were assigned using previously reported chemical shift values from the literature. Based upon visual assessment of the data, three spectral regions from the 1D data were binned as follows: the N-acetyl region (1.90-2.10 ppm); the choline head group (Cho) region (3.15-3.30 ppm); and 10 the carbohydrate (Carb) region (3.50-4.20 ppm). Three ratios, abbreviated N Acetyl/Cho, Cho/Carb, and N-Acetyl/Carb, were then calculated for each spectrum, after setting the integrated area of the carbohydrate region to 1.00. For each Thompson grade, the mean ratios and standard deviations were calculated and a Student's t test was performed to determine the statistical 15 significance of the data, where a p-value <0.05 was considered significant. [0091) 3. Results [0092] A. Thompson Grade Differentiation [0093] Representative one-dimensional HR-MAS spectra of the annular and nuclear regions of intervertebral discs with Thompson grades 1, 3, and 5 are 20 shown in Figures 1-3. [0094] FIGS. 1X, 1Y, 1Z show a representative 1-D HR-MAS spectra acquired from a Thompson Grade 1 disc (FIG. IX) from the annulus fibrosus region (spectra at FIG. 1Y) and the nucleus pulposus region (spectra located at FIG. 1Z). Arrows illustrate associations between the various spectra shown at 25 FIGS. IY, 1Z and the respective representative portion(s) of the disc being evaluated and shown at FIG. IX. The circles indicate the representative location of 3mm punch biopsies taken from the disc. Resolvable peaks include: A:isoleucine, leucine, valine; B:lactate, isoleucine; C:alanine; F:N Acetyl resonance of chonroitin sulfate; G:glutamine; J:lysine; K:choline; 30 L:phosphocholine; the bracketed region indicates the C-H resonances of chondroitin sulfate. -17- [0095] Thompson grade 1 disc material is characterized by its stiff pliable annular ring and hydrated gel core (FIG. IX). 3mm punch biopsies were taken from annular and nuclear regions of intervertebral discs and the corresponding HR-MAS spectra are shown (FIG. 1Y, 1Z, respectively). Both 5 HR-MAS spectra demonstrate a large N-acetyl resonance centered at 2.04 ppm, and carbohydrate resonances attributed to chondroitin sulfate in the region from 3.5 to 4.0 ppm. Additionally, resonances due to lactate (1.33 ppm), lipid (ppm), the choline head group (3.21-3.25 ppm), and several amino acids (alanine (1.49 ppm), isoleucine, leucine, and valine) are also 10 observable. Interestingly, in lower Thompson grade discs, consistently greater spectral resolution was observed in the nucleus (FIG. 1Z) as compared to the annulus (FIG. 1Y). [0096] FIGS. 2X, 2Y, 2Z show a moderately degenerated Thompson Grade 3 disc (FIG. 2X) and corresponding HR-MAS spectra taken from the annulus 15 fibrosus (FIG. 2Y) and the nucleus pulposus (FIG. 2Z). Morphological changes associated with Thompson grade 3 are dehydration of the disc coupled with a mechanical disruption of the disc matrix. Spectroscopically, the nucleus and annulus of Thompson Grade 3 demonstrate an increase in spectral resolution in the carbohydrate region of the spectrum compared to 20 Thompson Grade 1 disc (FIG. 1X, 1Y, respectively). There is also an increase in the resonances containing the choline headgroup (3.21 ppm). [0097] Thompson grade 5 discs (FIG. 3X) pathologically demonstrate a further dehydration of the disc, mucinous infiltration and extensive disruptions in the annulus, fibrous tissue replacement of the nucleus pulposus, and a loss of 25 visual distinction between the annular and nuclear regions. Spectroscopically, there is a further increase in the resolution and intensity of the resonances in the choline and carbohydrate regions of the spectra. There is also a visual decrease in the intensity of the N-acetyl resonance and an increase in the number and intensity of resonances due to free amino acids. 30 [0098] Table 1 shows integral ratios for annulus fibrosus (A) and nucleus pulposus (B) and student's t-test results. Individual and mean ± sdev N Acetyl/Cho, Cho/Carb, and N-Acetyl/Carb ratios for Thompson grades 1, 3, -18and 5 discs are statistically compared. Thompson grades 2 and 4 discs were omitted from this study due to the subjectivity of the Thompson grading scale. For both the nucleus and annulus, the mean N-Acetyl/Cho, and Cho/Carb ratios showed significant differences between all three Thompson grades, 5 while the N-Acetyl/Carb ratio was only significantly different between nucleus samples taken from Thompson 3 versus 5 discs. (0099] For grades 1 vs. 3 the difference of ratios 1 and 2 were significant when comparing any two grades, for both the annulus and nucleus. N Acetyl/Carb was only significant when comparing grade 1 to grade 5 of the 10 nucleus. N-Acetyl/Cho = Integral (1.90-2.10 ppm)/Integral (3.15-3.30 ppm), Cho/Carb = Integral (3.15-3.30 ppm)/Integral (3.50-4.20 ppm), N-Acetyl/Carb = Integral (1.90-2.10 ppm)/Integral (3.50-4.20 ppm). [00100] In FIGS. 4A-4D, individual N-Acetyl/Cho (FIGS. 4A and 48), and Cho/Carb (FIGS. 4C and 4D) ratios from the annulus (top) and nucleus 15 (bottom) for the three Thompson grades are plotted in order to assess the overlap of individual measurements. For the N-Acetyl/Cho ratio, there was no overlap of individual nucleus values between Thompson grade 1 and 5 discs, there was substantial overlap of individual values for all other comparisons. For the Cho/Carb ratio, there was no overlap of individual annulus values 20 between all three Thompson grades and no overlap of individual nucleus values between Thompson grade 1 and 5. [00101] B. Total Correlation Spectroscopy (TOCSY) [00102] To assign the resonances observed in the one-dimensional proton spectra, two-dimensional TOCSY spectra were acquired and the chemical 25 shifts of the crosspeaks observed were compared to previously reported chemical shift values. FIG. 5A shows a TOCSY spectrum of a Thompson grade 1 intervertebral disc. In all eight of the Thompson grade 1 discs studied, only a limited number of crosspeaks could be observed, including those due to alanine (1.49, 3.79 ppm), lactate (1.35,4.16 ppm), and the 30 protons related to the carbohydrate portion of the proteoglycan polymers. In contrast, the TOCSY spectrum of the six degenerated Thompson grade 5 discs studied (FIG. 5B), exhibited many more detectable crosspeaks, -19including isoleucine (0.92, 1.32 ppm), leucine (0.98,1.72 ppm), lysine (1.73, 3.04 ppm), proline (1.73, 1.93 ppm), glutamine (2.14, 2.46 ppm and 2.14, 3.79 ppm), glutamate (2.1, 2.36 ppm), hydroxyproline (2.45, 3.45 ppm), and ethanolamine (3.15, 3.83 ppm). TOCSY experiments demonstrated that the 5 resolvable resonances in the carbohydrate region (3.5-4.2 ppm) of the 1-D HR-MAS spectrum were composite peaks arising from multiple amino acids, ethanolamine containing compounds, as well as the sugar C-H protons of the breakdown products of chondroitin sulfate. The 1-D HR-MAS spectra of all discs studied exhibited two singlets at 3.21 and 3.23 ppm, which correspond 10 to the chemical shifts of free choline (Cho) and phosphocholine (PC) respectively. TOCSY experiments also demonstrated cross peaks for the methylene protons of Cho at 3.55 x 4.07 ppm and PC at 3.62 x 4.18 ppm. There are also several other smaller, broader resonances in the choline region of the spectrum, which remain unidentified. 15 [00103] C. T 1 and T 2 Relaxation Times [00104] FIGS. 6A and 6B, respectively, show the average T 1 and T 2 relaxation times for resolvable resonances in the Thompson Grade 1, 3, and 5 discs. Only T1 and T 2 relaxation times of resonances that could be resolved in nucleus and annulus spectra of all of the Thompson grades were measured. 20 This resulted in the measurement of T 1 and T 2 relaxation times for resonances at 0.9, 1.32, 1.49, 2.04, 3.21 and 3.67 ppm. There was no significant difference observed between T 1 and T 2 relaxation times measured in the nucleus and annulus, therefore the relaxation times of theses regions were combined to increase the statistical significance of the disc grade 25 comparisons. The average T 1 and T 2 measurements for these resonances from each of the Thompson grades demonstrated large variability yielding no significant trend in metabolite T 1 and T 2 with increasing disc degeneration. However, there was an observable trend for T 1 relaxation times with increasing Thompson grade. The observable trend for T1 values was an initial 30 decrease for Thompson grade 3 discs and subsequent increase for Thompson grade 5 discs. For T 2 , there was no consistent trend for all of the observed resonances, however, there was an increasing trend for the N -20- Acetyl (2.04 ppm), Choline (3.21 ppm) and the carbohydrate C-H resonances (3.67 ppm) with increasing Thompson grade. [00105] 4. Discussion [001061 Proton HR-MAS spectra were very similar for samples taken from 5 annular and nuclear regions of intervertebral discs, with both spectra demonstrating a large N-acetyl resonance and carbohydrate resonances primarily from chondroitin sulfate, as well as resonances from choline containing compounds, lipid/lactate and several amino acids. Due to the more gel like nature of the nucleus, consistently greater spectral resolution was 10 observed in the nucleus as compared to the annulus for Thompson grade 1 discs. [00107] A substantial result observed in this study was that significant, visually apparent changes were observed in the proton HR-MAS spectra of the annular and nuclear samples from discs with increasing Thompson grade. 15 Specifically, there was a grade dependent increase in number of observable resonances and a sharpening of line widths of resonances in the 3.5 - 4.0 ppm region of the spectrum, corresponding to a loss of the "broad component" in this region. Additionally, there was an increase in the signal intensity of resonances in the choline containing compound region of the spectrum, and a 20 relative decrease in the N-Acetyl resonance. (00108] Similarly, the number and intensity of cross peaks in TOCSY disc spectra increased with increasing Thompson grade. A large number of the cross peaks appearing in TOCSY spectra of degraded nucleus and annulus were due to the amino acids hydroxyproline, proline, glycine, lysine, leucine, 25 isoleucine, alanine, valine, glutamine and glutamate and ethanolamine, many of which are components of collagen. Amino acid resonances also dominate the 1-D proton HR-MAS spectra of both nucleus and annulus in Thompson grade 5 discs. The observation of amino acids due to the breakdown of collagen has been previously observed in NMR studies of cartilage digestion 30 using metalloproteinases. Metalfoproteinases (MMPs) have been suspected to play an important role in disc degeneration by disrupting the collagen matrix that supports the disc. As the collagen network disintegrates and the collagen -21helices break down into their constituent amino acids, those resonances become more visible in both 1D and 2D HR-MAS spectra. [00109] There was also metabolic evidence of chondroitin sulfate breakdown with disc degeneration. This conclusion is based on the increase in intensity 5 and resolution of carbohydrate C-H resonances (3.5 - 4.0 ppm) and the relative reduction in the N-Acetyl resonance of chondroitin sulfate (2.04 ppm) in proton HR-MAS spectra taken from the annulus and nucleus of Thompson grade 3 and 5 discs as compared to Thompson grade 1. Prior 1H and 1C HR MAS NMR investigations on native and enzymatically digested bovine nasal 10 cartilage have shown a change in the composition of the N-acetyl resonance from being initially the N-acetyl resonance in non-digested cartilage to a composite peak containing the N-acetyl and amino acid resonances. Chondroitin sulfate concentration decreases with disc degeneration. TOCSY studies have demonstrated that the resolvable resonances in the 3.5 - 4.0 15 ppm region of degenerated disc spectra also arise from a complex mixture of compounds including multiple amino acids, ethanolamine containing compounds and the C-H resonances of carbohydrates. The complete assignment of resonances in degenerated disk spectra will therefore require human disc digestion studies and correlation with biochemical assays for 20 chondroitin sulfate (e.g. dimethylmethylene blue (DMMB) assay) and collagen (collagenase). [00110] Based on the observed changes in the N-Acetyl resonance, and resonances in the choline and the carbohydrate/amino acid regions of the HR MAS spectrum, the N-AcetyVCho, Cho/Carb, and N-Acetyl/Carb ratios were 25 investigated to determine which ratios provided the best discrimination of Thompson grade. Both the mean N-Acetyl/Cho, and Cho/Carb ratios showed significant differences between all three Thompson grades, with the Cho/Carb ratio demonstrating the least overlap between individual values for all three Thompson grades. 30 [00111] The Cho/Carb ratio had no overlap between the three Thompson grades for spectra taken from the annulus and minimal overlap for spectra taken from the nucleus. This is in particular beneficial since, for in vivo -22spectroscopy, spectra acquisition solely from either the nucleus or annulus of the disc should thus not be required in many circumstances. This is a benefit due both to their close relative proximity and signal to noise considerations. [00112] The N-Acetyl/Cho ratio may also prove useful for in vivo spectroscopy 5 of disc degeneration since the N-Acetyl resonance is the largest peak in the Thompson 1 and 3 discs and it was reduced to level that was less than or equal to the choline and carbohydrate regions of the spectrum in Thompson grade 5 discs. In fact, Thompson grade 5 spectra from both the nucleus and annulus can be visually separated from Thompson grade I and 3 disc spectra 10 based on the relative reduction of the N-acetyl peak to the choline and carbohydrate regions. [00113] In prior studies, investigators have studied water spin-lattice and spin spin relaxation times in an attempt to characterize disc and cartilage degeneration. More hydrated tissue is known to have a longer water T, and 15 T 2 and are shortened with disc degeneration, presumably due to tissue water loss (14). No prior reports correlate T 1 and T 2 changes of the disc degenerative products with Thompson grade. [00114] In this study the average T 1 and T 2 measurements of the disc breakdown products demonstrated large variability. However, there was an 20 observable trend in Ti relaxation times. The trend for T1 values was an initial decrease for Thompson grade 3 discs and subsequent increase for Thompson grade 5 discs. The observed initial shortening of breakdown products T 1 's in Thompson grade 3 discs could be for example due to the loss of water with disc degeneration. The subsequent increase of T 1 's in 25 Thompson grade 5 discs could be for example due to an increase in mobility of the breakdown products as they are released from the proteoglycan and collagen matrices. [00115] Regarding observed changes in T 2 , no clear trend exists across all the breakdown products. T 1 and T 2 measurements of both water and degradation 30 products in larger numbers of degenerated discs would provide further useful information to understand the relaxation times measured in this study. -23- [00116] 5. Summary [00117] In summary, proton HR-MAS provides spectra that are very similar for samples taken from annular and nuclear regions of intervertebral discs. Significant, visually apparent changes are observable in the proton HR-MAS 5 spectra of the annular and nuclear samples from discs with increasing Thompson grade. Quantitatively, both metabolite peak areas ratios of the resonances in the N-acetyl to choline regions, and choline to carbohydrate regions of the spectra are useful to discriminate discs of increasing Thompson grade with minimal overlap of individual ratios. Changes in T 1 and T 2 10 relaxation times of the chemical constituents of disc spectra do not mirror changes in water relaxation times previously reported for disc degeneration. Changes in relaxation times of the chemical constituents of disc spectra with increasing degeneration reflect both changes in dehydration of the disc and the degree of breakdown of the proteoglycan and collagen matrices with 15 increasing Thompson grade. In vivo modalities of NMR spectroscopy will be useful for detecting chemical changes associated with disc degeneration. [00118] In addition to the foregoing, the following references are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference thereto: 1. Haro H, Crawford, H. J. Clin. Invest. 2000; 105:143-150. 20 2. Mow V, Hayes, W. Basic Orthopaedic Biomechanics. In. New York: Raven Press, 1991; 339-342. 3. Thompson JP, Pearce, R.H., Schechter, M.T., Adams, M.E., Tsang, I.K., Bishop, P.B. Preliminary evalutation of a scheme for grading the gross morphology of the human intervertebral disc. Spine 1990; 25 15:411-415. 4. latridis JC, Setton, L.A., Weidenbaum, M., Mow, V.C. Alterations in the mechanical behavior of the human lumbar nucleus pulposus with degeneration and aging. ln:Journal of orthopaedic research, 1997; 318 322. 30 5. Urban JP, McMullin, J.F. Swelling pressure of the intervertebral disc: influence of proteoglycan and collagen contents. Biorheology 1985; 1985. -24- 6. Beall PT, Amety, S.R. et al. States of Water in Biology: NMR Data Handbook for Biomedical Applications. New York: Pergamon Press, 1984. 7. Boos N, Boesch, C. Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging of the 5 lumbar spine: potential for investigations of water content and biochemical composition. Spine 1995:2358-2366. 8: Bottomley PA, Foster, T.H. et al. A review of normal tissue hydrogen NMR relaxation times and relaxation mechanisms from 1-100 MHz: dependence on tissue type, NMRfrequency, temperature, species, 10 excision, and age. Medical Physics 1984:425-448. 9. Lyons G, Eisenstein, S.M. et al. Biochemical changes in intervertebral disc degeneration. Biochim Biophys Acta 1981:443-453. 10. Majors AW, McDevitt, C.A. et al. A correlative analysis of T2, ADC and MT ratios with water, hydroxyproline and GAG content in excised 15 human intervertebral disk. In:40th Annual Meeting Orthopaedic Research Society. New Orleans, Louisiana: Orthopaedic Research Society, 1994. 11. Maroudas A. The Biology of the Intervertebral Disc. In: Ghosh P, ed. The Biology of the Intervertebral Disc. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 1988; 20 Ch. 9. 12. Pearce RH, Grimmer, B.J. et al. Degeneration and the chemical composition of the human lumbar intervertebral disc. Journal of orthopaedic research 1987:198-205. 13. Tertti M, Paajanen, H. et al. Disc degeneration in magnetic resonance 25 imaging: a comparative biochemical, histologic, and radiologic study in cadaver spines. Spine 1991:629-634. 14. Chui E, David C. Newitt, Mark R. Segal, Serena S. Hu, Jeffrey C. Lotz, Sharmila Majumdar. Magnetic Resonance Imaging Measurement of Relaxation and Water Diffusion in the Human Lumbar Intervertebral 30 Disc Under Compression In Vitro. Spine 2001; 26:E437-444. 15. Gundry CR, Fritts, H.M. Magnetic resonance imaging of the musculoskeletal system: Part 8. The spine. Clin Orthop Rel Res -25- 1997:275-287. 16. Gunzburg RPRea. A cadaveric study comparing discography, magnetic resonance imaging, histology and mechanical behavior of the human lumbar disc. Spine 1991:417-423. 5 17. Modic MT, Pavlicek, W. et al. Magnetic resonance imaging of intervertebral disc disease: clinical and pulse sequence considerations. Radiology 1984:103-111. 18. Modic MT, Masaryk, T.J. et al. Lumbar herniated disk disease and canal stenosis: prospective evaluation by surface coil MR, CT and 10 myelography. ANJR 1986:709-717. 19. Modic MT, Masaryk, T.J. et al. Imaging of degenerative disc disease. Radiology 1988:177-186. 20. Sether LA, Yu, S. et al. Intervertebral disk: Normal age-related changes in MR signal intensity. Radiology 1990:385-388. 15 21. Pfirrmann C, Metzdorf, A., Zanetti, M. Magnetic Resonance Classification of Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Degeneration. Spine 2001; 26:1873-1878. 22. Nieminen MT, Rieppo, J., Silvennoinen, J. et al. Spatial assessment of articular cartilage proteoglycans with Gd-DTPA -enhanced T1 imaging. 20 Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 2002; 48:640-648. 23. Mosher TJ, Dardzinski, B.J., Smith, M.B. Human articular cartilage: influence of aging and early symptomatic degeneration on the spatial variation of T2-preliminary findings at 3 T. Radiology 2000; 214:259 266. 25 24. Boos N, Wallin, A., Boesch, C.H., Aebi, M. Quantitative MR Imaging of diurnal water content variations in lumbar intervertebral disc. In:38th Annual Meeting, Orthopeadic Research Society. Washington, D.C.: The Orthopaedic Research Society, 1992; 165. 25. Boos N, Wallin, A., Harms, S., Vock, P., Boesch, C.H., Aebi, M. Tissue 30 characterization of normal and herniated lumbar intervertebral discs by quantitative MRI. In:39th Annual Meeting, Orthopaedic Research Society. San Francisco, CA: Orthopaedic Research Society, 1993; 417. -26- 26. Burstein D, Gray, M.L. et al. Diffusion of small solutes in cartilage as measured by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and imaging. Journal of orthopaedic research 1993:465-478. 27. Koh K, Kusaka, Y. et al. Self diffusion coefficient of water and its 5 anisotropic property in bovine intervertebral discs analyzed by pulsed gradient NMR method. Orthop Trans 1992:483. 28. Koh K, Kusaka, Y. et al. Self diffusion coefficient of water in human intervertebral discs analyzed by pulsed gradient NMR method. In:39th Annual Meeting Orthopaedic Research Society. San Francisco, CA, 10 1993. 29. Abdulkarim JA, Dhingsa, R., Finlay, D.B. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Cervical Spine: Frequency of Degenerative Changes in the Intervertebral Disc with Relation to Age. Clinical Radiology 2003:980 984. 15 30. Swanson MG, Vigneron DB, Tabatabai ZL, et al. Proton HR-MAS spectroscopy and quantitative pathologic analysis of MRI/3D-MRSI targeted postsurgical prostate tissues. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 2003; 50:944-954. 31. Schiller J, Naji, L., Huster, D., Kaufmann, J., Arnold, K. 1H and 13C 20 HR-MAS NMR investigations on native and enzymatically digested bovine nasal cartilage. Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine 2001:19-27. 32. Carr HY, Purcell, E.M. Effects of Diffusion on Free Precession in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Experiments. Physical Review 1954; 25 94:630-638. 33. Kupce E. Applications of adiabatic pulses in biomolecular nuclear magnetic resonance. ln:Methods in Enzymology, 2001; 82-111. 34. Mucci A, Schenetti, L., Volpi, N. 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance identification and characterization of components of 30 chondroitin sulfates of various origin. Carbohydrate Polymers 2000:37 45. 35. Goupille P, Jayson, M.I., Valat, J.P., Freemont, A.J. Matrix -27metalloproteinases: the clue to intervertebral disc degeneration? Spine 1998; 23:1612-1626. 36. Kang JD, Stefanovic-Racic, M.,Mclntyre, L.A., Georgescu, H.I., Evans, C.H. Toward a biochemical understanding of human intervertebral disc 5 degeneration and herniation. Contributions of nitric oxide, interleukins, prostaglandin E2, and matrix metalloproteinases. Spine 1997; 22:1065 1073. 37. Weiler C, Nerlich, A.G., Zipperer, J., Bachmeier, B.E., Boos, N. 2002 SSE Award Competition in Basic Science: Expression of major matrix 10 metalloproteinases is associated with intervertebral disc degradation and resorption. European Spine Journal 2002:308-320. 38. Urban JP, Roberts, S., Ralphs, J.R. The Nucleus of the Intervertebral Disc from Development to Degeneration. In:American Zoologist, 2000; 53-61. 15 39. Weidenbaum M, Foster, R.J., Best, B.A., Saed-Nejad, F., Nickoloff, E., Newhouse , J., Ratcliffe, A., Mow, V.C. Correlating magnetic resonance imaging with the biochemical content of the normal human intervertebral disc. Journal of orthopaedic research 1992; 10:552. Example 2 20 [00119] 1. Introduction (00120] Conventional imaging methods of assessing the painful, degenerated intervertebral disc generally focus solely on morphologic criteria. However, it is well-known that there is a poor correlation between morphologic findings and patient symptoms. The goal of this in vitro study is to utilize quantitative high 25 resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) NMR spectroscopy as a tool to accurately characterize biochemical markers in disc specimens harvested from patients undergoing surgery. Spectra from discs obtained from patients that underwent discectomy for back pain and those of a reference population, consisting of patients undergoing surgery for scoliosis, were compared in 30 attempts to identify biochemical signatures of painful disc degeneration. [00121] 2. Materials and Methods [00122] Spectral data were acquired at 11.7T (500 MHz), 1 0 C, and a 2,250 Hz -28spin rate using a Varian INOVA spectrometer equipped with a 4 mm gHX nanoprobe. Disc tissue removed at surgery in patients with discogenic pain (n = 6) and patients with scoliosis undergoing anterior and/or posterior spinal fusion (n = 4) were studied using custom designed 35 ul rotors. Quantitative 5 proton spectra were acquired for tissue samples (mean = 14.28+1 2.91 mg) with D20+0.75% TSP as a standard (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO). A spin echo rotor synchronized Carr-Purcell-Meiboom- Gill (CPMG) pulse sequence (nt = 128, at = 2.0 s, TR = 5 s, echo time = 80ms) was acquired for each tissue sample. The lactate resonance (1.31 ppm, doublet), n-Acetyl 10 resonance associated with proteoglycans (PG) (2.04 ppm, singlet), and collagen breakdown region (col) (3.30-4.00ppm) were analyzed to compare disc specimens. These regions are annotated in further detailed spectra sections shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. [00123] 3. Results 15 [00124] FIGS. 7A, 7B show representative 80 ms 1H CPMG spectra of (a) discogenic pain patient and (b) patient with scoliosis. The proteoglycan n Acetyl resonance (PG) lactate, and collagen breakdown region (col) are indicated. [00125] Relative to deformity patients, those with back pain demonstrate 20 significantly lower PG/Lactate and PG/col ratios (p < 0.05; see FIG. 7). In addition, Table 2 shows a table of information related to the experiment performed that produced the exemplary spectra shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B. [00126] 4. Discussion [00127] The results from this experiment indicate that biochemical markers are 25 useful to characterize processes that correlate with discogenic pain. Previous studies report the influence of pH on proteoglycan synthesis and overall health. As lactate concentrations increase, the effective pH of disc material decreases due to the increase in free H+ in solution, which can hinder proteoglycan synthesis. 30 [00128] The direct causal relationship between lactate concentration and pain is previously unknown or explained in fine biochemical detail here with respect to the present Experiment. However, the beneficial use of lactate -29concentration in providing a statistical correlation to pain is demonstrated according to the methods performed and summarized here. This presents a substantially useful tool in diagnosing locality of pain, regardless of mechanism of physical correlation between the two parameters. The highly 5 beneficial systems and methods herein described provide distinct benefit in allowing a non-invasive tool to correlate measured factors to pain, regardless of the particular biological "cause-and-effect" chemical or biological relationships underlying these results. Nonetheless, it is believed that increased lactate may stimulate nerve fibers in granulation tissue associated 10 with disc healing. Further studies with larger numbers of clinically-relevant samples that are matched for degeneration stage may be conducted by one of ordinary skill based upon a review of this disclosure and other available information, and to further confirm these and other areas of interest in identifying and using spectroscopic markers for assessing biochemical 15 degeneration and association with discogenic pain. [00129] The following documents are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference thereto: [00130] Keshari KR, Zektzer AS, Swanson MG, Majumdar S, Lotz JC, Kurhanewicz J. Characterization of intervertebral disc degeneration by high 20 resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) spectroscopy. Magn Reson Med 2005;53(3):519-527. [00131] Maroudas A. The Biology of the Intervertebral Disc. In: Ghosh P, editor. The Biology of the Intervertebral Disc. Volume 2. Boca Raton: CRC Press; 1988. p Ch. 9. 25 [00132] Urban JP, Smith S, Fairbank JC. Nutrition of the intervertebral disc. Spine 2004;29(23):2700-2709. [00133] It is to be appreciated based upon the foregoing disclosure that NMR spectroscopy is useful to identify and characterize spinal disc material as to a corresponding degree of intervertebral disc degeneration, and in particular 30 with direct and predictable, reproducible correlation to Thompson grades between discs. Accordingly, this represents one highly beneficial, and broad aspect of the present invention. One particular embodiment described in fine -30detail hereunder relates to use of high resolution magic angle spinning (HR MAS) spectroscopy, shown in particular useful for explanted disc material observed in that diagnostic environment. However, other further, also highly beneficial embodiments also result, and represent further broad aspects 5 disclosed hereunder, in regards to differentiating properties of living tissue in vivo. Such may be accomplished for example, either using other types of magic angle spinning systems specially adapted for use with living specimens, or by use of other NMR spectroscopy systems useful on patients and based upon suitably modified and adapted aspects and modes of the tools and 10 methods taught hereunder. [00134] By isolating high signal peaks for diagnostic pain correlation, as has been done here for example in Example 2 summarized above, such particular targets are considered to extend well from 11.7T MAS MRI tools and into equipment used directly with patients in clinical practice, e.g. 3 or 1.5T MRI 15 equipment more typically used in clinical diagnosis. This may in particular be the case in the additional application of customized local coils for creating higher local fields along a region of interest, such as a particular region of lumbar spine for example. [00135] Still further, it is to be appreciated that tissue samples may be taken 20 from patients, such as through biopsies, and then run in laboratory equipment such as high field MRI machines, e.g. MAS NMR at 11.7T, for useful patient diagnosis according to the various systems and methods herein exemplified by way of the examples and description provided. [00136] In addition, various exemplary chemicals and/or certain constituent 25 factors thereof are herein described as targets of non-invasive diagnosis of medical conditions associated with tissues. It is appreciated that such chemical "factors" may include the identified chemical or molecular structure itself, or a portion thereof, or a metabolite, degradation product, or bi-product thereof to the extent correlative to the chemical identified. Moreover, the 30 present disclosure deals with information that is produced by diagnostic tools and methods to indicate certain property(s) of tissue. Such property(s) may include for example pain or tissue degeneration themselves, respectively. Or, -31it may include another second property having correlation or causal link with such first property. For example, nociceptive nerves, related growth factors, certain types of inflammation, etc. may have causal links to either or both of pain and tissue degeneration. These may be the property directly indicated 5 by the information produced by the present embodiments, whereas that indicated property further leads to additional useful diagnosis and conclusion as to the related pain or degeneration. It is also contemplated that pain and degeneration may be isolated results or targets of such diagnostic tools and methods herein described, and may furthermore be linked together in a 10 combined result or target. Furthermore, degrees of such properties may be identified by the novel systems and methods herein described. This may lead to further results and conclusions as to spatial relationship of such property within a tissue, e.g. the location of a disc level, or portion of a disc (or other tissue structure), that is more painful or degenerated relative to other 15 surrounding joints, levels, or areas of tissue. Such localization may be the nature of the useful information produced itself, or may be identified by further analysis and processing conducted upon the useful information produced. [00137] The present disclosure, to the extent directed toward specified systems and devices of the embodiments, further contemplates respective methods 20 related thereto, whether or not such method(s) are specifically described in detail aside from their contemplated use in the system disclosure. One of ordinary skill will understand such relationship based upon the totality of the disclosure provided herein. Similarly, methods disclosed hereunder further contemplate respective system and device aspects clearly contemplated by 25 such disclosure, whether or not specific reference to such system or device aspects is provided in particular aside from the method description. The foregoing relates to the description provided hereunder, as well as the claims provided below. For example but without limitation, it is to be appreciated that certain functional aspects (or intercooperation described between elements) 30 of system or apparatus claims provided herewith further contemplate the methods of performing such function as additional, independent aspects contemplated hereunder, though not necessarily to be applied as limitations to -32the particularly specified aspects and related modes and embodiments unless described expressly so. [00138] Although the description above contains many details, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely 5 providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which 10 reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless explicitly so stated, but rather "one or more." All structural, chemical, and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred embodiment that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be 15 encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, it is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present invention, for it to be encompassed by the present claims. Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the 20 element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U. S. C. 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase "means for." [00139] Throughout this specification, including the claims, where the 25 context permits, the term "comprise" and variants thereof such as "comprises" or "comprising" are to be interpreted as including the stated integer or integers without necessarily excluding any other integers. -33- Table IA: Disc Metabolite Ratios, Annulus Fibrosus Integrated Areas Grade 1 Grade 3 Grade 5 1 vs 3 1 vs 5 3 vs 5 N-Acetyl/Cho 3.685±0.601 2.552±0.339 1.941±0.540 0.006 0.035 0.035 Cho/Carb 0.115±0.027 0.191±0.014 0.243±0.016 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 N-Acetyl/Carb 0.420±0.137 0.487±0.062 0.466±0.096 0.277 0.486 0.638 Table 1B: Disc Metabolite Ratios, Nucleus Pulposus Integrated Areas Grade 1 Grade 3 Grade 5 1 vs 3 1 vs 5 3 vs 5 N-Acetyl/Cho 5.487±1.400 4.336±0.706 2.364±0.411 0.031 <0.001 0.001 Cho/Carb 0.082±0.018 0.121±0.014 0.161±0.006 0.001 <0.001 0.001 N-Acety)/Carb 0.448±0.139 0.515±0.049 0.380±0.079 0.465 0.146 0.006 -34- Table 2: Ratios of PG/lactate, PG/Col, and Lactate/Col + 1 standard deviation Disc Pain Scoliosis PG/Lactate 0.37 ± 0.36 1.72 ± 0.81 PG/col 0.28 ± 0.14 0.66 ± 0.35 Lactate/col 0.70 t 0.35 0.38 ± 0.08 -35-

Claims (41)

1. A medical diagnostic system configured to provide diagnostic 5 information that is indicative of a property of a first region of tissue based upon a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum of the first region, comprising: an NMR spectroscopy system that is configured to generate nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic data related to an NMR spectrum from the first region and to provide the NMR spectroscopic data related to the 10 NMR spectrum in a form that is processable; a processor that is configured to process, based on a set of encoded program instructions executable on the processor, the NMR spectroscopic data provided by the NMR spectroscopy system so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon (a) an n-Acetyl-related 15 resonance region of the NMR spectrum associated with chondroitan sulfate or a metabolite or degradation product thereof, and (b) a lactate-related resonance region of the NMR spectrum; wherein the property comprises a chemical environment of the first region of tissue; and 20 wherein the diagnostic information is correlative to pain in the first region.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR 25 spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon a ratio of values for at least one measured parameter of each of two spectral regions of the NMR spectrum corresponding with each of two chemical factors in the first region. 30

3. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the two spectral regions corresponds with a lactate-related factor, a proteoglycan-related factor, or a collagen-related factor in the first region.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured -36- to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR spectroscopic data related to the NMR spectrum in a manner providing the diagnostic information based at least in part upon a measured feature of an n Acetyl-related resonance region of the NMR spectrum. 5

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the two spectral regions correspond with a proteoglycan-related factor and a collagen-related factor, respectively, in the first region. 10

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon a measured feature of a choline-related region of the NMR spectrum. 15

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon a measured feature of a carbohydrate-related region of the NMR 20 spectrum.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least 25 in part upon a measured feature of a region of the NMR spectrum associated with a collagen-related factor that comprises a chemical entity indicative of collagen break-down in the first region.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured 30 to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon a first calculated ratio between a measured feature of the NMR spectrum associated with the proteoglycan-related factor and a measured feature of the NMR spectrum associated with the lactate-related factor, and a -37- second ratio between a measured feature of the NMR spectrum associated with the proteoglycan-related factor and a measured feature of the NMR spectrum associated with the collagen-related factor in the first region. 5 10. The medical diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information that is indicative of a degree of a pain factor in the first region.

10

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the NMR spectroscopy system comprises a 3 Tesla NMR system.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the NMR spectroscopy system in the configuration further comprises: 15 a local spine detector coil assembly configured to acquire the NMR spectroscopic data from the first region positioned in the NMR spectroscopy system.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first region of tissue comprises 20 at least a portion of an intervertebral disc, and further wherein: the NMR spectroscopy system is configured to generate the NMR spectroscopic data from a single voxel prescribed to correspond with the first region. 25

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic information is correlative to a degree of pain associated with the first region.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to display a curve related to the NMR spectrum, and a portion of the curve provides the 30 diagnostic information.

16. A medical diagnostic system configured to provide diagnostic information that is indicative of a property of a first region of tissue removed from a patient, comprising: -38- a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy system that is configured to generate NMR spectroscopic data related to an NMR spectrum of the first region and to provide the NMR spectroscopic data related to the NMR spectrum in a form that is processable to provide the diagnostic 5 information; wherein the NMR spectroscopy system comprises a proton high resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) spectroscopy system that is configured to produce the NMR spectroscopic data; a processor that is configured to process, based on a set of encoded 10 program instructions executable on the processor, the NMR spectroscopic data provided by the NMR spectroscopy system so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon an n-Acetyl-related resonance region of the NMR spectrum and a lactate-related resonance region of the NMR spectrum; 15 wherein the property comprises a chemical environment of the first region of tissue; and wherein the diagnostic information is correlative to pain.

17. A medical diagnostic system configured to provide diagnostic 20 information that is indicative of a property of a first region of tissue, comprising: a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy system that is configured to generate NMR spectroscopic data related to an NMR spectrum of the first region in a form that is processable; and 25 a processor that is configured to process, based on a set of encoded program instructions executable on the processor, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon a portion of the NMR spectroscopic data related to a lactate-related factor and a proteoglycan-related factor in the first region; 30 wherein the property comprises a chemical environment of the first region of tissue; and wherein the diagnostic information is correlative to pain in the first region. -39-

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the diagnostic information is indicative of a degree of the property in the first region of tissue.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein: 5 the NMR spectroscopy system is further configured in a configuration to generate the NMR spectral data related to the NMR spectrum for the first region and also to generate NMR spectral data related to a second NMR spectrum for a second region of tissue; and the processor is further configured to process, based on a set of 10 encoded program instructions executable on the processor, the NMR spectroscopic data associated with the NMR spectra for each of the first and second regions of tissue so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon a comparison between the degree of the property in the first region and a degree of the property in the second region. 15

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the first region of tissue comprises at least a portion of an intervertebral disc, and further wherein: the NMR spectroscopy system is configured to generate the NMR spectroscopic data from a single voxel prescribed to correspond with the first 20 region.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the system is configured to display a curve related to the NMR spectrum, and a portion of the curve provides the diagnostic information. 25

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon a ratio of values for at least one measured parameter of the 30 NMR spectrum associated with each of two chemical factors in the first region.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at -40- least in part upon a ratio of values for at least one measured parameter of the NMR spectroscopic data associated with each of the lactate-related factor and the proteoglycan-related factor. 5

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon a measured feature of a lactate-related resonance region of the NMR spectrum of the first region. 10

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon a measured feature of an n-Acetyl-related resonance region 15 of the NMR spectrum of the first region.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at 20 least in part upon a ratio between a measured feature of a proteoglycan related region and a measured feature of a collagen-related region of the NMR spectrum.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further 25 configured to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon a measured feature of a choline-related resonance region of the NMR spectrum. 30

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon a measured feature of a carbohydrate-related resonance region of the NMR spectrum. -41-

29. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon a measured feature of a resonance region associated with a 5 collagen-related factor that comprises a chemical entity indicative of collagen break-down.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the 10 NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon a first calculated ratio between a measured feature of a NMR spectral region associated with the proteoglycan-related factor and a measured feature of a NMR spectral region associated with the lactate-related factor, and a second ratio between a measured feature of a NMR spectral 15 region associated with the proteoglycan-related factor and a measured feature of a NMR spectral region associated with a collagen-related factor in the first region of tissue.

31. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further 20 configured to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information that is indicative of a degree of a pain factor in the first region of tissue.

32. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further 25 configured to process, based on the set of encoded program instructions, the NMR spectroscopic data so as to provide the diagnostic information based at least in part upon a resonance of at least one chemical factor that is a pain factor. 30

33. The system of claim 17, wherein the NMR spectroscopy system comprises a 3 Tesla NMR spectroscopy system.

34. The system of claim 17, wherein the NMR spectroscopy system in the configuration further comprises: -42- a local spine detector coil assembly configured to acquire NMR spectroscopic data from the first region positioned in the NMR spectroscopy system. 5

35. The system of claim 17, wherein the NMR spectroscopy system in the configuration comprises: a single voxel region prescribed to coincide with the first region of tissue; wherein the NMR spectroscopic data associated with the NMR 10 spectrum is generated within and acquired from, and the diagnostic information correlates with, the single voxel region.

36. The system of claim 17, wherein: the NMR spectroscopy system is further configured to generate NMR 15 spectral data related to a second NMR spectrum for a second region of tissue; the processor is further configured to process, based on a set of encoded program instructions executable on the processor, the NMR spectroscopic data associated with the second NMR spectra so as to also provide diagnostic information indicative of the property in the second region 20 also based at least in part upon (a) an n-Acetyl-related resonance region of the second NMR spectrum associated with chondroitan sulfate or a metabolite or degradation product thereof, and (b) a lactate-related resonance region of the second NMR spectrum; and the processor is also configured to process, based on the set of 25 encoded program instructions executable on the processor, the diagnostic information for each of the first and second regions by comparing a degree of the property in the first region and a degree of the property in the second region in a manner that is useful for localizing pain to at least one of the first and second regions. 30

37. A method for diagnosing pain, comprising: providing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic data associated with an NMR spectrum acquired by an NMR spectroscopy system from a region of tissue in a form that is processable; -43- processing the NMR spectroscopic data using a processor, based on a set of encoded program instructions executable on the processor, in a manner that provides diagnostic information based upon at least one measured parameter of at least one chemical region of the NMR spectrum associated 5 with at least one pain factor in the region; and wherein the diagnostic information is correlative to pain in the region.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising: configuring a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy system 10 in a configuration to generate and acquire the NMR spectroscopic data related to an NMR spectrum of the region; and generating and acquiring the NMR spectroscopic data related to the NMR spectrum by operating the NMR spectroscopy system in the configuration. 15

39. A method for diagnosing pain, comprising: analyzing at least the following chemical resonances from a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum generated and acquired via an NMR spectroscopy system from a first region of tissue: a lactate-related resonance 20 and a proteoglycan-related resonance; producing a first value for a parameter associated with the analysis that is correlative to pain in the first region; and wherein the analyzing and the producing are performed by executing a set of encoded program instructions on a processor. 25

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising also executing the set of encoded program instructions on the processor to: perform the analyzing and producing steps also for a second region of tissue in order to produce a second value for the parameter for the second 30 region; compare the first and second values; and determine where pain is being experienced between the first and second regions based at least in part on the comparison. -44-

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising: configuring an NMR spectroscopy system in a configuration to generate and acquire the NMR spectroscopic data from the first and second regions; and 5 acquiring the NMR spectroscopic data from the first and second regions by operating the NMR spectroscopy system in the configuration. 10 -45-