ArticleEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2024
Prevalence and distribution of Schmorl node and endplate signal change, and correlation with disc degeneration in a population-based cohort: the Wakayama Spine Study.
Article in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence of thoracic degenerative MRI findings and association with pain and disability: a systematic review.Skeletal radiology · 2025Pooled it
- Radiographic assessment of lumbar spine degeneration in patients with total hip arthroplasty: a cross-sectional study.European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie · 2026Article
- Sex-Specific Associations between Schmorl Nodes, Modic Change, and Osteoporosis in the Low Thoracolumbar Spine in a Large Population-Based Study: The Wakayama Spine Study.Spine surgery and related research · 2026Article
- Subtype analysis of Schmorl's nodes in the lumbar spine and the association with lumbar degeneration: a retrospective evaluation of 2262 abdominal CT scans.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2025Article
- Increased cervical disc degeneration in ischemic stroke: a 10-year retrospective data review.Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992) · 2025Article
- Treatment of Painful One Level Schmorl's Nodes Using Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy: A Clinical Evaluation.Journal of pain research · 2025Article
- From structure to therapy: the critical influence of cartilaginous endplates and microvascular network on intervertebral disc degeneration.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2024Review
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeDegenerative spinal conditions, including disc degeneration (DD), Schmorl nodes (SN), and endplate signal changes (ESC), are pervasive age-associated phenomena that critically affect spinal health. Despite their prevalence, a comprehensive exploration of their distribution and correlations is lacking. This study examined the prevalence, distribution, and correlation of DD, SN, and ESC across the entire spine in a population-based cohort.
methodsThe Wakayama Spine Study included 975 participants (324 men, mean age 67.2 years; 651 women, mean age 66.0 years). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to evaluate the intervertebral space from C2/3 to L5/S1. DD was classified using Pfirrmann's system, ESC was identified by diffuse high-intensity signal changes on the endplates, and SN was defined as a herniation pit with a hypointense signal. We assessed the prevalence and distribution of SN, ESC, and DD across the entire spine. The correlations among these factors were examined.
resultsPrevalence of ≥ 1 SN over the entire spine was 71% in men and 77% in women, while prevalence of ≥ 1 ESC was 57.9% in men and 56.3% in women. The prevalence of ESC and SN in the thoracic region was the highest among the three regions in both sexes. Positive linear correlations were observed between the number of SN and DD (r = 0.41, p < 0.001) and the number of ESC and DD (r = 0.40, p < 0.001), but weak correlations were found between the number of SN and ESC (r = 0.29, p < 0.001).
conclusionThe prevalence and distribution of SN and ESC over the entire spine were observed, and correlations between SN, ESC, and DD were established. This population-based cohort study provides a comprehensive analysis of these factors.
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