Magnetic resonance imaging of acute symptomatic Schmorl's node formation.

The intraspongious herniation of intervertebral disk material into the endplate of a vertebral body was first described by Schmorl in 1927. Any process which weakens the cartilaginous endplate or the subchondral cancellous bone may predispose to the development of Schmorl's nodes. These include Scheuermann's disease, infection, metabolic disorders, neoplastic disorders, and degenerative disease. In the young individual, however, trauma may precipitate an acute focal and symptomatic endplate herniation by the well-hydrated and delineated nucleus pulposus. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most sensitive imaging method for the detection of intervertebral disk disease and, thus, has facilitated the diagnosis of traumatic Schmorl's nodes. MRI was very helpful in diagnosing an acute, traumatic, symptomatic Schmorl's node when plain film radiographs and nuclear medicine bone scan were unremarkable.