J Korean Soc Radiol.  2010 Jun;62(6):563-570.

MR Imaging for the Differentiation of Early Infectious Spondylitis and Modic Type I Change in the Lumbar Spine

• Kwon JW
• Yoon YC
• Choi SH
• Jung JY
• Choe BK

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings for the differentiation of early infectious spondylitis and Modic type I change in the lumbar spine.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Contrast-enhanced lumbar spine MR images with bone marrow edema adjacent to the endplates of 25 patients (14 men, 11 women; mean age 53.7 years) were evaluated. Margin and enhancement in the bone marrow changes, erosion or destruction of endplates on T1-weighted sagittal MR images, T2 signal intensity and enhancement in the intervertebral disks, as well as the presence of paravertebral soft tissue were evaluated. The final diagnoses were 11 cases of infectious spondylitis and 14 cases of Modic type I change.
RESULTS
The margin of bone marrow changes was more blurred in infectious spondylitis than in Modic type I change. The endplates for infectious spondylitis showed destructions, and Modic change erosions. On postcontrast images, all the cases except for only one with degenerative disease were enhanced in the vertebral bodies. Intervertebral disks showed T2 hyperintensities and were enhanced in both the infectious spondylitis and Modic change. Paravertebral soft tissue was seen more commonly in infectious spondylitis.
CONCLUSION
The useful findings of early infectious spondylitis include endplate destruction, blurred margins of the bone marrow changes on T1-weighted images, and the presence of paravertebral soft tissue.

MeSH Terms

Bone Marrow
Edema
Humans
Intervertebral Disc
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Male
Spine
Spondylitis