title: Disc degeneration in Scheuermann disease.
abstract: Comparison of the radiographic signs of Scheuermann disease and the corresponding disc degeneration on thoracolumbar magnetic resonance (MR) images was made in 21 young patients. Marginal sclerosis, Schmorl nodes and narrowed disc spaces, but not irregular or wedge-shaped end-plates, were significantly associated with disc degeneration. Fifty-five percent of the discs in the patients with Scheuermann disease were abnormal on MRI, compared with 10% in asymptomatic controls. Our study confirms that thoracolumbar disc degeneration is enhanced in 20-year-old patients with low back pain who have radiological evidence of Scheuermann disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Central Hospital of Mikkeli, Finland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Paajanen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alanen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erkintalo
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Salminen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katevuo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000473:pathology*; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012544:Scheuermann Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology