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Updated: Oct 16, 2025
Optical Sectioning and Visualization of the Intervertebral Disc from Embryonic Development to Degeneration
Published on: July 8, 2021
Intradiscal vacuum phenomenon and spinal degeneration: a cross-sectional analysis of 219 subjects
Murat Şakir Ekşi1, Emel Ece Özcan-Ekşi2, Alper Akkaş1
1Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Introduction:
Intradiscal vacuum phenomenon (IVP) is the collection of gas within the intervertebral discs. It has been reported with various spinal disorders. The exact role of IVP in spinal degeneration leading to low back pain (LBP) is unclear. We aimed to obtain the prevalence of IVP in patients with LBP. Our second aim was to understand whether IVP was associated with intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD), Modic changes, and subchondral sclerosis (SS).
Methods:
A total of 12.450 consecutive patients with chronic LBP were evaluated in terms of having abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan concomitant with lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using radiological database of three spine centers. We excluded the patients with a history of malignancy, metabolic disease, spinal infection, traumatic or osteoporotic spine fracture, and spine surgery. All lumbar levels were evaluated in terms of IVDD and Modic changes on MRI, while they were evaluated in terms of IVP and SS on CT scans.
Results:
We included 219 patients. Severe IVDD, Modic changes, IVP, and SS were seen in 53.9% (n: 118), 38.8% (n: 85), 26.5% (n: 58), and 16% (n: 35) of the patients, respectively. Intradiscal vacuum phenomenon was closely associated with severe IVDD (OR: 8.204), Modic changes (OR: 3.547) and SS (OR: 4.231).
Discussion:
Intradiscal vacuum phenomenon was closely associated with severe IVDD, Modic changes, and SS. Further prospective clinical and laboratory studies are necessary to better delineate the pathogenesis of IVP.
