Degenerative Spine.

Spine degeneration represents a continuum of biomechanically related alterations that evolve over time. Disc degeneration is partly attributable to physiologic aging or senescence and partly due to pathologic conditions and this distinction is sometimes not very clear. Standard MR imaging is the mainstay for evaluating spine degeneration and newer noninvasive quantitative MR imaging techniques are rapidly emerging to detect early biochemical changes before the onset of structural changes. Degenerative disc disease although being a common and remarkable health problem, is still not completely understood and contributes significantly to years of life disability.