Schmorl Node

History: 50 year old male undergoing thoracic CT for chest pain has an incidental finding in his lumbar spine. 

Sagittal CT image of the thoracolumbar spine junction in bone windows shows irregularity of the superior endplate of the L2 vertebral body.

This is the typical appearance of a Schmorl Node. Frequently they may have a sclerotic border. A Schmorl node is an intravertebral disc herniation due to vertical disc extension through a weakened vertebral body endplate. The differential includes acute compression fracture, degenerative endplate change, discitis, and limbus vertebrae (which is seen at the vertebral body corners).