Discitis: What Changes to look for in the Disc on MRI
Disc Changes on MRI in Discitis
In a previous post we looked at the MRI appearance of a normal disc or of a disc that is degenerate but not infected. If you havent read that already here is the link Lumbar Disc MRI: Meet Normal your best friend
| What Happens to Disc Signal in Discitis? |
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Disc Signal increases on T2 because there is more fluid in the disc from infection
Image Above: Increased T2 Signal ( pink arrow) in a level with discitis due to increased fluid content of the disc. Degenerate disc at level above is low T2 signal ( blue arrow). |
| What Happens to Disc Height in Discitis |
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Disc Height reduces because there is progressive destruction of the disc.
Image Above: Discitis at L4/5. Reduced disc height ( pink arrow) . Compare with normal disc height of unaffected disc ( blue arrow). |
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