{"title":"Focal fatty infiltration of the lumbar intervertebral disc: a case report and literature review.","authors":"Shritik Devkota, Hritika Rathi, Samiksha Lamichhane","doi":"10.1093/omcr/omaf027","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>An intervertebral disc is a pliable, cushioning structure present between the vertebrae in the spine. It functions as a shock absorber, minimizing friction and facilitating movement between the spinal bones. Degenerative changes are viewed as responses to injuries, whether mechanical or metabolic, rather than as distinct diseases. Degenerative disc disease is a frequent etiology of low back pain. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) commonly demonstrates disc desiccation, degeneration, herniation or protrusion, osteophyte formation, and facet joint arthropathy. In this case report we have specifically addressed a component of degenerative disc disease which is seen as an uncommon MRI finding of focal intradiscal fat. Although the direct impact of focal intradiscal fat on patient outcomes is not fully understood, it typically indicates advanced disc degeneration. Recognizing this finding can assist clinicians in diagnosing the extent of disc degeneration and developing appropriate treatment plans for patients with low back pain or related symptoms.</p>","PeriodicalId":45318,"journal":{"name":"Oxford Medical Case Reports","volume":"2025 5","pages":"omaf027"},"PeriodicalIF":0.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12118086/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Oxford Medical Case Reports","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1093/omcr/omaf027","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/5/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"eCollection","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
An intervertebral disc is a pliable, cushioning structure present between the vertebrae in the spine. It functions as a shock absorber, minimizing friction and facilitating movement between the spinal bones. Degenerative changes are viewed as responses to injuries, whether mechanical or metabolic, rather than as distinct diseases. Degenerative disc disease is a frequent etiology of low back pain. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) commonly demonstrates disc desiccation, degeneration, herniation or protrusion, osteophyte formation, and facet joint arthropathy. In this case report we have specifically addressed a component of degenerative disc disease which is seen as an uncommon MRI finding of focal intradiscal fat. Although the direct impact of focal intradiscal fat on patient outcomes is not fully understood, it typically indicates advanced disc degeneration. Recognizing this finding can assist clinicians in diagnosing the extent of disc degeneration and developing appropriate treatment plans for patients with low back pain or related symptoms.
期刊介绍:
Oxford Medical Case Reports (OMCR) is an open access, peer-reviewed online journal publishing original and educationally valuable case reports that expand the field of medicine. The journal covers all medical specialities including cardiology, rheumatology, nephrology, oncology, neurology, and reproduction, comprising a comprehensive resource for physicians in all fields and at all stages of training. Oxford Medical Case Reports deposits all articles in PubMed Central (PMC). Physicians and researchers can find your work through PubMed , helping you reach the widest possible audience. The journal is also indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection . Oxford Medical Case Reports publishes case reports under the following categories: Allergy Audiovestibular medicine Cardiology and cardiovascular systems Critical care medicine Dermatology Emergency medicine Endocrinology and metabolism Gastroenterology and hepatology Geriatrics and gerontology Haematology Immunology Infectious diseases and tropical medicine Medical disorders in pregnancy Medical ophthalmology Nephrology Neurology Oncology Paediatrics Pain Palliative medicine Pharmacology and pharmacy Psychiatry Radiology, nuclear medicine, and medical imaging Respiratory disorders Rheumatology Sexual and reproductive health Sports Medicine Substance abuse.