Endplate lesions in the lumbar spine: a novel MRI-based classification scheme and epidemiology in low back pain patients

The aims of the study were to introduce a classification scheme for endplate lesions based on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and to detect possible associations between endplate lesions and other variables such as age, sex, disc degeneration and Modic changes in a large population. MRI images of 996 low back pain patients were collected. All intervertebral spaces were classified as “normal”, “wavy/irregular”, “notched”, “Schmorl’s node” and “fracture”. The associations between endplate lesions and age, sex, disc degeneration and Modic changes were determined in the considered population. The most common endplate lesions were “notched” and “Schmorl’s nodes”. The prevalence was higher among the male subjects. In most patients (62.8%), no endplate lesions were detected, with a significant difference between male (57.5%) and female subjects (67.9%) (p