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Kummel disease

Dr Ayush Goel and Radswiki et al.

Kummel disease is an eponymous name for avascular necrosis of the vertebrae.

Pathology

It often occurs following a traumatic collapse and risk factors include :

osteoporosis
corticosteroid use
alcoholism
radiation therapy

Radiographic features

Plain film / CT

shows collapse of affected vertebrae
an intra-vertebral vacuum cleft may be seen (accentuated on extension stress lateral views), although not a specific feature

MRI

the vacuum cleft is usually seen as low signal intensity with all sequences.
if intra-vertabral fluid is present ¹ it is " low signal on T1 " and " high signal on T2 " weighted sequences.