title: The relationship between concave angle of vertebral endplate and lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration.
abstract: METHODS
  A retrospective study of magnetic resonance imaging of the lower lumbar spine.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the characteristics of the concave angle of vertebral endplate (CAVE) and study the association between CAVE and lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The vertebral endplate is responsible for transferring stress between disc and vertebral body, and its concavity is important in dispersing compression stress. However, the characteristics of CAVE and the relationship between CAVE and IVDD have not been investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Magnetic resonance images of the lower lumbar spine in 511 patients with low back pain were examined by 2 experienced spine surgeons. The grades of IVDD and lumbar disc herniation (LDH) were evaluated, several parameters including CAVE, height, and the sagittal diameter of vertebral body were measured, and the association between IVDD or LDH and CAVE was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At L3-L4, L4-L5, and L5-S1, CAVE was smaller in the upper endplate (i.e., the inferior endplate of the superior vertebra) than in the lower endplate (i.e., the superior endplate of the inferior vertebra). There was no male/female difference in the size of CAVE in any of the segments. According to partial correlation analysis, CAVE was moderately related to IVDD, but no association between CAVE and LDH was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When lumbar IVDD occurs, the CAVE increases and the endplate tends to flatten. The degree of flattening is related to the severity of the degeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, #107 Yanjiang Rd. West, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Xian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Anjing
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Wenjie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Liangming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guoyan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Dongsheng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000473:pathology*; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000473:pathology*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000473:pathology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012447:Sacrum / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult