title: Vacuum disc: frequency of high signal intensity on T2-weighted MR images.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of lumbar intervertebral disc vacuum clefts demonstrating high signal intensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images.
  
  
  METHODS
  MR images of the lumbosacral spine of 100 patients with radiographic evidence of the lumbar intervertebral disc vacuum phenomenon were retrospectively studied for the signal pattern of the intervertebral disc vacuum clefts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Twelve of the reviewed MR studies demonstrated high signal intensity of the vacuum clefts on long TR and TE sequences while the remaining 88 cases demonstrated the vacuum as signal void on both T1- and T2-weighted images. It is concluded that vacuum clefts not infrequently show high T2 signal intensity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Schweitzer
authors.forename: K I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: el-Noueam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000473:pathology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis