Lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging: comparison between fast spin echo proton density and spin echo T1 axial scans

MRI of the lumbar intervertebral disc

The lumbar spine is one of the commonest regions of the body imaged with MRI. Various pathological processes can involve the lumbar intervertebral disc, including degeneration, infection and trauma and these may present with a variety of signal intensity and morphological changes as depicted by MRI. The aim of this pictorial review is to illustrate these abnormalities and discuss their clinical relevance where appropriate.