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Fatty Schmorl nodes

Case contributed by Ammar Haouimi
Diagnosis almost certain

Presentation

Low back pain.

Patient Data

Age: 35 years
Gender: Male
ct

Well-defined lucent lesions of the fatty density at L4 and L5 vertebral bodies with a peripheral sclerotic rim extending to the superior and inferior endplates at L4 and superior endplate at L5

Small Schmorl nodes of the superior endplate L3 are also noted.

Circumferential disc bulge at L3-L4.

Central disc herniation at L4-L5.

Case Discussion

CT features of a well-defined intraosseous lesion of the fatty density of the L4 and L5 vertebral bodies with a peripheral sclerotic rim and cortical interruption of the vertebral endplates suggestive of fatty Schmorl nodes (incidental findings).

On imaging, the main differential diagnosis is:

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