Pseudovacuum of the cervical intervertebral disc: a normal variant.
A lucency in the intervertebral disc space at the superior margin is a normal variant related to Mach band phenomenon. This may easily be confused with a true vacuum sign in intervertebral disc injury. Patients with the pseudovacuum have no associated radiographic findings to suggest injury about the suspected disc space. A review of a group of normal lateral cervical vertebral films showed the phenomenon to occur in 65% of adults and 50% in children.
D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D005538:Football; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography