Glossary

Vertebra - One of the 33 bones of the spinal column. A cervical, thoracic, or lumbar vertebra has a cylindrically-shaped body anteriorly and a neural arch posteriorly (composed primarily of the laminae and pedicles as well as the other structures in the posterior aspect of the vertebra) that protects the spinal cord. The plural of vertebra is vertebrae.

Vertebral body marrow changes - Reactive vertebral body modifications associated with disc inflammation and degenerative disc disease, as seen on MR images.

• Type 1 refers to decreased signal intensity on T1-weighted spin-echo images and increased signal intensity on T2-weighted images, indicating bone marrow edema associated with acute or sub-acute inflammatory changes.
• Types 2 and 3 indicate chronic changes. Type 2 refers to increased signal intensity on T1-weighted images and isointense or increased signal intensity on T2-weighted images, indicating replacement of normal bone marrow by fat.
• Type 3 refers to decreased signal intensity on both T1 and T2-weighted images, indicating reactive osteosclerosis.