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disc desiccationTM

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Disc desiccation
To understand disc desiccation, it is first necessary to understand a few other terms. To begin with, vertebrae are bones that form an opening in which the spinal cord passes. These bones are stacked one on top of another, like this:

Each individual bone that makes up the vertebrae is called a vertebra. In between the vertebrae are flat, cushiony discs (known as intervertebral discs) that act as shock absorbers. These discs are represented by the red areas. The discs normally contain a certain amount of fluid. Disc desiccation is abnormal dryness of the discs. Disc desiccation is common in older people and it can occur in any area of the spine from top to bottom. In fact, most people will experience some degree of disc desiccation in their lives.

As a result of this dryness and loss of fluid, the disc(s) degenerate (wear away) to a degree. Disc desiccation is the earliest visible sign of disc degeneration. Disc degeneration can range in severity from mild, moderate, to severe. Severe cases of disc degeneration can require surgery to fix the problem. Risk factors for disc degeneration include genetics which predispose one to disc problems, a history of moderate to severe spine trauma, and having a job that is very labor intensive and requires heavy lifting.

Many people with back problems get a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan of the spine. MRI scans produce extremely detailed pictures of the inside of the body by using very powerful magnets and computer technology. An MRI produces various signal intensities, which are then made into images of the body by the computer. The intensity of the signals can be low, normal, or high. Disc desiccation will have low signal intensity on a type of MRI scan known as T2 (an abbreviation for time 2). A T2 MRI scan appears like film negatives from a photographs. A dry disc will appear black on the MRI scan.

Disc desiccation is sometimes referred to as disc degeneration and degenerative disc degeneration (DDD). Disc desiccation comes from the Greek word "diskos" meaning "flat plate," and the Latin word "desiccare" meaning "to dry up completely." Put the two words together and you have "flat plate to dry up completely."