MRI Study Of Prevalence Of Schmorl’s Node In Thoraco-Lumbar Spine

Objective: Although Schmorl’s nodes are common in normal adult population, their prevalence is controversial & etiology is still debatable. Objective of this study is to find out the prevalence of Schmorl’s node in normal asymptomatic population. Material & Method :This is a retrospective study done in Era’s Lucknow Medical College & Hospital, Lucknow in collaboration with Dept of Radiology. M R I scans of thoraco-lumbar region of 100 patients were assessed for various anatomical parameters. Results: Out of 100 cases 18(18%) were found to have Schmorl’s nodes. No independent association of Schmorl’s node with back pain was identified. Conclusion: Schmorl’s node is common in elderly population with frequency similar to that in young population. Presence of Schmorls node’s is not always associated with pain.