Modic changes on MRI

Diagnosis

Modic changes on MRI

History

Modic changes on MR imaging, are signal intensity changes in vertebral body marrow adjacent to the endplates of degenerative discs.

Modic changes

MR T1 weighted

MR T2 weighted

Signification

Modic 1

Low signal

High signal

Marrow edema.

Modic 2

High signal

High signal

Fatty degeneration of subchondral marrow.

Modic 3

Low signal

Low signal

Extensive bony sclerosis

There seems to be a very strong correlation between having Modic changes, especially Modic changes type 1, and suffering from pain in the lower back.

• Modic MT, Steinberg PM, Ross JS, et al. : "Degenerative disk disease: assessment of changes in vertebral body marrow with MR imaging". I Radiology 1988;166(1 Pt 1):193-9.
• Modic MT, Masaryk TJ, Ross JS, Carter JR. : "Imaging af degererative disk disease". I Radiology 1988;168:177-86.
• Albert HB, Kjaer P, Jensen TS, Sorensen JS, Bendix T, Manniche C : "Modic changes, possible causes and relation to low back pain.". I Med Hypotheses. 2008;70(2):361-8. Epub 2007 Jul 10
• Albert HB, Manniche C. : "Modic changes following lumbar disc herniation.". I Eur Spine J. 2007 Jul;16(7):977-82. Epub 2007 Mar 3.