[Idiopathic benign non-infectious segmental vertebral sclerosis]

Idiopathic, benign, non-infectious, segmental, vertebral sclerosis is a self-limiting condition, which must be differentiated primarily from infectious spondylo-discitis and sclerosing vertebral metastases. The typical patient is a middle-aged, parous women with pain in the lower back region. Radiologically there is a characteristic half-dome shaped supradiscal sclerosis in the anterior and middle part of the affected vertebral body, which is always of normal height and there is never an abnormal paravertebral soft tissue mass. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate is normal. It is important to recognize this condition in order to avoid unnecessary examinations.