The Association Of Schmorl's Node With Lumbar Disc Degeneration

Objective: To investigate the distribution characteristics of Schmorl's node in the population and the correlation between Schmorl's node and lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration.Methods: from October 31 2018 solstice on October 31,2019 in Qingdao municipal hospital line resonance chamber of lumbar MRI in patients with randomly selected by simple random sampling method,500,further eliminate lumbar trauma history and lumbar surgery,lumbar infectious disease,spinal metastases,and severe osteoporosis patients,289 cases,the average age(53.5-13.2).289 patients were divided into Schmorl's node group and normal group.The size and location of each Schmorl's node,the pathological changes of the intervertebral disc and the degeneration of adjacent intervertebral discs in the Schmorl's node group were recorded,and the degeneration of intervertebral discs in the normal group and the related pathological changes of intervertebral discs were also recorded.This paper briefly analyzes the distribution characteristics and differences of Schmorl's node in various intervertebral disc segments,age groups,genders and various types of intervertebral disc pathological changes,as well as the correlation between Schmorl's node and lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration.Results: there were 289 patients,including 124 males and 165 females.Age: 18-78 years old,mean age(53.5±13.2)years old,1445 intervertebral discs in total,76 patients had one or more Schmorl's node,119 intervertebral discs were involved,accounting for 8.2%(119/1445),127 intervertebral discs were involved,8 intervertebral discs had Schmorl's node in both upper and lower endplates,and the rest involved unilateral endplates.There were 95 Schmorl's node in the lower endplate and 32 Schmorl's node in the upper endplate.The most intervertebral discs were L1/2 and L2/3,accounting for 29.4%(35/119)and 29.4%(35/119),respectively.Second,26.7%(32/119)of L3/4 intervertebral disc,and Schmorl's node was more likely to occur in patients with protrusion,herniation and Modic changes(P < 0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the distribution of Schmorl's node between men and women(P > 0.05).There were statistically significant differences in the graded distribution of intervertebral disc degeneration between the segments of the endplate with and without Schmorl's node(P < 0.05).The segmental degeneration grading of the endplate with Schmorl's node was significantly higher than that of the intervertebral disc without Schmorl's node,and the size of Schmorl's node was positively correlated with the corresponding degeneration grading of the intervertebral disc(P < 0.05).Conclusion: Schmorl's node is more likely to occur in L2/3 intervertebral disc.Schmorl's node are more common in the upper endplate.There was a positive correlation between the size of Schmorl's node and the grading of lumbar disc degeneration at corresponding segments.Schmorl's node are more common in patients with herniated,and Modic changes.